Potions and Daggers
by callas-and-ivy
Summary: When a creature/woman resurfaces to complicate Harry's life, it is unclear whether she'll save the last of the Potter line or turn him over to Voldemort to save the last of her own. **complete**
1. Danger at the Dursleys

Early morning light streamed gently into the smallest bedroom of number Four Privet Drive. It crept along the floor illuminating a large empty cage before reaching the bed of a rather peculiar boy. Not so much a boy as a young man, nearly fifteen years of age, although by count of experience he was much older. Harry Potter lay for the moment asleep on his bed. His jet black hair stuck up in all directions revealed the most peculiar thing of all and the reason he was experienced beyond his years, a small scar in the shape of a bolt of lightening upon his forehead. It was a souvenir he received in his infancy from a terrible curse pronounced by the darkest wizard ever to stalk the earth, meant to kill. It had killed Harry's parents and destroyed their house but kill Harry it did not. Instead the curse rebounded upon its originator and sent him into hiding until he could gain power again, which he accomplished last year.  
  
But at the moment Harry was in his small bed in the home of his oppressive Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon Dursley who had raised him since that night fourteen years ago. Harry lay there dreaming not of summer vacation fun and such as other teenagers were apt to do, but of school. Harry went to a very special school, Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. He dreamt of returning there, of being with his friends again. He enjoyed learning to use the powers he didn't know he had until his 11th birthday when the Hogwarts letters arrived.  
  
Ah, that fateful birthday that now seemed so long ago. He had learned so much at school, including many things that had nothing to do with class. To be back at Hogwarts, away from his Aunt and Uncle was his wish. Perhaps he would be able to see his godfather Sirius Black while there. Sirius Black was his father's best friend but due to a mix-up had been imprisoned for 12 years as the one who had told the Dark Lord Voldemort where to find and subsequently kill the Potters as well as for the murder of Peter Pettigrew. But he was innocent and needed only to clear his name in order to take up his privilege of godfather to Harry. This was easier said than done. Peter Pettigrew still lived, and it was he who had ratted out the Potters, to say ratted isn't far from the truth for he is an anamagi that turns into just that - a rat. Now that Voldemort had returned his goal was to kill Harry and continue his conquering quest begun decades earlier. These thoughts about his past and others about his future collided in Harry's dream. His subconscious, seeming to search for a way to solve these problems, was stumped, and at that point Harry awoke. Not because of the light now reaching his eyes or because his head was full of the same circular, unanswerable questions, but because of something else entirely.  
  
Someone downstairs was yelling. This seemed strange to Harry because the Dursleys didn't usually start yelling until Harry entered the room. He sat up and listened intently in an attempt to decipher what was going on downstairs. He heard the front door slam, then soft footsteps running through the house followed by the heavy thumping footsteps of his large uncle Vernon. Harry got out of bed slowly and had almost reached the door when it swung toward him and in came a black cat. Harry didn't have time to watch the cat enter because his vision was filled with the immense form of Uncle Vernon, purple in the face with anger.  
  
"What happened," stammered Harry confused and still groggy.  
  
"You tell me," bellowed Uncle Vernon, "Who is that!"  
  
"Who, did you say, don't you mean what, it's just a stray cat" Harry replied as though Vernon were making a much bigger deal of the situation than Harry felt it warranted.  
  
Uncle Vernon's gaze was steady toward Harry's bed. When Harry turned to see what Vernon was looking at he saw not a cat but a woman with long golden hair down to her waist, dressed all in black with a black leather bag slung across her shoulder hunched over Harry's trunk apparently looking for something.  
  
"What are you doing, those are my things," Harry said desperately crossing the room in defense of his personal property.  
  
"I know my dear, Oh, where is it" she continued until she'd gotten to the very bottom. "Here it is" Harry stood aghast as the woman held up his father's invisibility cloak, the only thing he had inherited from his father and one of his most prized possessions.  
  
"Put that down," Harry said in voice of panic.  
  
"No time to explain my dear, you'll need to put this on, and this" She pulled open her cloak and took out a pocket watch on a long chain from an assortment of others, handed him the invisibility cloak and put the chain around his neck. Then she started putting all of Harry's things back into his trunk. "Is that everything you have?"  
  
"What..yes.who are you, what are you doing here?"  
  
"Like I said, there is no time now," she seemed a bit preoccupied to Harry and when she looked up to see Uncle Vernon still sputtering at her she seemed quite surprised. "You'd better grab a few things and clear off for a while, sir," she said to Uncle Vernon. "Bad things are coming here but the danger will pass. I have got to get Harry out of here, and you probably don't want to be here either."  
  
The look on Uncle Vernon's face went from anger to panic and he disappeared calling to wife. "Petunia, we're leaving, going to visit Marge, NOW."  
  
Harry, just as bewildered as he was at the beginning of this conversation tried to ask again but the tall witch just guided him to his trunk and prompted him to sit on it. Then she spotted a large bird pecking at the window outside. Not in the least surprised she opened the window and Hedwig, Harry's pet owl, fluttered into her cage. The witch set it on the trunk next to Harry then stood before them both. "Voldemort is coming and you've got to leave. I know you are friends with the Weasley's, have you ever been to their home?"  
  
"Yes," replied Harry still confused.  
  
"Great, that will make this much easier. Now I need you to visualize in your mind their home with as much detail as you can. Once you have that image stuck press the button on the watch," she yanked on the chain she'd put around his neck before. She grabbed the invisibility cloak from Harry again and spread it over him, Hedwig and his trunk. Harry tried to sputter in resistance but was only met with "Please do it quickly, I'll meet you there to explain."  
  
Harry picked up the watch, wondered if it were broken because both hands pointed at 12, but began to concentrate very hard on the home of his friend. In his minds eye he could see the original stone portion of the house, the rickety upper stories all the way up to the roof and its several chimneys. He saw the garden full of gnomes and weeds and a low rock wall. Then he clicked the watch, not knowing what to expect. A few seconds later he felt the trunk beneath him shaking, rise up in the air and then fall down with a bump. When he finally opened his eyes he was no longer inside his Uncle's house but outside in the yard of the Weasley's home.  
  
Amazed he threw off the cloak and looked down at the watch which now read 1:00. It was very quiet at the Weasley's and just as he was wondering whether it would be alright to wake every one by ringing the bell the front door opened. Ginny, the Weasley's youngest child and only daughter stepped out to feed the chickens in the front yard. When she saw Harry she squealed and ran inside. Moments later the entire Weasley family came out to greet him.  
  
"I'm not sure how I got here" Harry tried to explain for the third time to the Weasley's while they stared at him over the kitchen table. Mrs. Weasley was just tipping four more sausages onto his plate when he added, "It happened just like I told you. A witch came in handed me this told me to think of your house, click this button and .then I was here. She said Voldemort was coming." At the mention of the Dark Lord's name every one of the Weasley's flinched but were so engrossed in the story none of them corrected him. Very few people dared speak that name. "Oh, she said she'd meet me here to explain later. I've never seen her before in my life."  
  
"Describe her again" asked Mr. Weasley, who was obviously late for work but didn't seem to mind.  
  
"Well, she was quite tall, had blond hair down to here," pointing to his waist, "she was dressed all in black. She must have been an animagi because when she first came in she was a black cat. She had a large black leather bag strapped across her chest with tassels and strange markings on it, I think." He was straining to remember because he had only seen her through the fog of tiredness and confusion. "She looked just like.." His eyes grew wide and he pointed behind them all, "that."  
  
The Weasley family turned around and saw her. Having arrived at her destination didn't seem to have relaxed the timetable she kept because she crossed the room in a hurry, took the watch she'd given Harry and replaced it in her cloak. She spoke briskly to the dumbfounded audience now gaping open mouthed at her. "You are safe now Harry, no one knows where you are and that, for now, is a good thing. Please don't send any letters and don't, any of you, mention Harry is here or that I was here. His life depends on it. It is fine to go to Hogwarts, dear, Dumbledore will protect you there. The Dursleys are fine and everything should blow over in a day or two. I wouldn't recommend returning there for the rest of the summer, just to be sure. I must be off, I'll see you again." As she turned to leave Harry found his voice and grabbed her cloak in protest. "Please, stay. I have so many questions. Who are you, how did you know Voldemort was coming, how did I get here with that watch?"  
  
The witch's demeanor changed for a brief moment and a kind smile spread on her face. She walked back to Harry, took his hand and then gave him a hug. It was the same kind of motherly hug he received from Mrs. Weasley and when they broke apart he noticed she was fighting back a small tear. "My name is Genevieve, I owe your parents a debt that can not easily be repaid. I have been away and only found out about you a few short months ago as well as what happened to James and Lily." The tear over powered her ability to suppress it and fell gently down her face. "I want to stay and tell you everything but I cannot. I will be missed and then you will be not the only one whose life is in danger. Please excuse me for now, I will find you again. Until then, take care of yourself, son of James." With that she took Harry's head in her hands and kissed him on the forehead.  
  
Genevieve then glided to the wood scrubbed table and pulled a large jewel encrusted chest out of her satchel. Harry could have sworn there was no way that such a large box could have fit in it. She set it on the table with a loud thump and it jingled slightly. She opened it to survey the contents and every one could see that it was full to the brim with wizards money (Gold Galleons, Silver Sickles, and Bronze Knuts).  
  
"Please take care of Harry," she whispered to Mrs. Weasley in a near crying voice. Mrs. Weasley objected.  
  
"Harry is no problem; we need not be paid for having him as a guest in our home." But the witch only stared at her curiously for a moment, composed herself and replied,  
  
"If I were to leave him with someone who didn't care for him as much as you obviously do they would demand payment and then treat him as a stranger. How much more deserving are you, who treat him as family and ask for nothing in return? Consider it a gift, a token of my appreciation, though it comes with two conditions. Never sell the actual chest or remove the last coin. Someday, I'll be back for the box." Then unearthing a chain with a watch from the multiple folds of her robe, took a deep breath, pressed the button and faded from view.  
  
The Weasley's still sat there stunned while Harry felt a great warmth flow through his body starting from the point where Genevieve had kissed him. After a few moments of shocked silence Harry thought it best to change the subject and challenged Ron and his twin brothers George and Fred to a game of Quidditch. 


	2. To Kill A Potter

Life at the Weasley's for the next month was wonderful. Harry filled his days flying his top of the line Firebolt broomstick in a small clearing of trees while Ron threw apples at him to catch in practice for the following school year. Harry was the seeker on the Gryffindor house quidditch team. It was his job to catch the golden snitch which would win his team an extra 150 points and end the game. Fred and George sometimes joined them, but mostly spent their time dreaming up laughter filled gags and tricks, for it was their aspiration to own a wizards joke shop. Nights Harry spent in Percy's old bedroom who had moved out last year to live on his own. It was a small room, stripped of its former owner's personal effects leaving it a great place for Harry to think without distraction.  
  
No one had mentioned Genevieve until it was time to go to Diagon Alley to get their school supplies for the next year.  
  
"Boy I wish I had that pocket watch now," Harry said offhandedly as he took a pinch of floo powder and got ready to throw it into the fire. "That was a lot easier way to travel." Mr. and Mrs. Weasley looked at each other uneasily but Harry hadn't noticed. He stepped into the fire and very clearly pronounced, "Diagon Alley" which flung him into a wild ride threw the flews of other witches and wizards fireplaces until he stumbled onto a hearth at the Leaky Cauldron. .  
  
It was as normal a day of shopping for school supplies as one could expect on Diagon Alley. Owls hooted at Harry from Eyelops Owl Emporium, Books of every size and shape could be seen in the windows of Flourish and Blotts, and occasionally as the wind blew Harry's hair back to reveal his scar children would stop with eyes wide and wizened old wizards he didn't know would bow or shake his hand.  
  
He had grown used to celebrity treatment by now. Slowly he and Ron lead the troupe of Weasley's up the crowded street to Gringotts, the wizard bank. After being ushered in by a pair of goblins they entered an expansive room lined with tall tables, behind which sat more goblins going about their business. Harry approached one who was scribbling in a large ledger.  
  
"I'd like to go to my vault, please. My name is Harry Potter, and here's my key." He held up a small golden key for the goblin to inspect.  
  
"Alright Mr. Potter, follow Hanzboy, he will escort ." but his voice trailed off. He had just spotted Mr. Weasley pulling the box Genevieve had given them out from beneath his cloak. As each goblin spotted it they stopped their work to stare. Harry found it odd as some of them had in their hands rubies far larger and more valuable than any on the trunk. In fact, compared to the treasures these Goblins handled every day it was a very ordinary box. But each was enthralled with it and the goblin Harry was standing before could not have been more pleased when a bewildered Mr. Weasley joined him.  
  
"May I place this in my vault. We haven't had a chance to count how much is in here yet and I'm sure you'll want to," explained Mr. Weasley.  
  
"Nonsense, if you'll follow Mr. Potter and Hanzboy he will take you to your vault right away Sir, and may I add, have a wonderful day."  
  
Mr. Weasley, Ron, and Harry followed Hanzboy through one of the many doors leading off the hall and climbed into the small cart to begin the thrilling ride down to their vaults.  
  
"This is weird," whispered Ron to Harry as Mr. Weasley was depositing the trunk in the vault. "They never treat dad that nice, and they always count everything, down to the last knut. I don't get it"  
  
Harry didn't have a chance to even think about a reply because Mr. Weasley had returned with Hanzboy and the cart had resumed its course, deeper to Harry's vault. Harry quickly stuffed a leather pouch full of gold and returned to the cart in time to catch Mr. Weasley's question to Hanzboy. "Something odd is going on today, what do you know about that chest?"  
  
Hanzboy seemed eager to change the subject, "Please hurry Mr. Potter, all set, let's go," and the cart began its journey upward, perhaps even faster than the downward ride.  
  
After their eyes adjusted to the bright light above ground Harry and Ron, who had now rejoined Mrs. Weasley, Ginny, Fred and George, consulted their lists for needed supplies. Most of Harry's robes had seen better days, some having been singed, soaked or poked during the previous year's competition.  
  
His first stop was Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasions. To his delight Mrs. Weasley and the others followed him in to get their robes new. This was an exhilarating experience, especially for Ginny who was almost dancing on a pedestal as a witch pinned the robe to the right length. Store after store the Weasley's and Harry picked up their supplies. Fred and George disappeared into a joke shop for a while and didn't emerge until they were laden with gags, pranks and Filibuster Fireworks. "This is going to be the best year yet!" said George to Harry winking.  
  
"Yeah, I guess we've got to make our last one count" added Fred.  
  
After completing their shopping they all began their trek back to the Leaky Cauldron. Harry let his eyes wander taking in the whole experience. He found he never tired of this place. Then, while walking past Titos Antiques something caught Harry's eye. A pocket watch, identical to the one Genevieve used. He trailed behind the others, staring at it in wonder. He felt the impulse to enter and followed it. The door creaked open to reveal a shop smaller than any he had been in before. In fact, it seemed to have very little in it to sell.  
  
The air was dark and musty and the window, which had been so clean while looking in appeared to be covered in cobwebs and filth, letting very little light in at all. He walked to the window display to get a closer look at the watch. There it shone, starkly contrasted against black velvet. Mesmerized, Harry didn't even notice the clerk approach him until he spoke.  
  
"Interesting choice. The Traveler's Watch. Very few of them left you know. His voice cracked a little, but that seemed fitting coming from such a chapped mouth. The clerks face was wrinkled; his black hair appeared to have been slicked back at one point but had gotten messed up in back and now went in all directions. "Have you ever seen one of these before," he continued his sales pitch.  
  
"Yes, I saw a witch use one once and she..." Harry regretted the words even as they escaped his lips. The clerks attitude changed from professional salesman to starved fiend with Harry's words.  
  
"You've seen one used, actually working. When, where, who has it - tell me now." Such a sudden change in the man frightened Harry. He made his way toward the door but the clerk beat him to it. "Who was using a Travelers Watch," the clerk asked again. Harry quickly concocted a lie.  
  
"A witch just down the street, short with red robes. She was holding one and appeared just over there," Harry pointed out of the window and the statement had just the effect he wanted. The clerk opened the door to see where Harry had pointed leaving a space just wide enough for Harry's slim physique to bolt through. Harry ran blindly, weaving in and out of the crowds until he was quite sure the salesman had not followed him. He ducked into a small gap between stores, panting for breath he leaned against the wall and sank to the ground.  
  
"Unusual place for a rest, where are the Weasleys?" came a vaguely familiar voice. Harry looked up and to his surprise saw Genevieve.  
  
"I was just wanting some time alone," Harry lied while getting to his feet. He hadn't realized how tall she was until this very moment. "Now do you have time to tell me about the Traveler's Watch and the chest you gave to Ron's mum?" This time Genevieve seemed sad, but nodded her head and indicated Harry should follow her.  
  
Instead of heading out toward the street though she walked straight for the back wall, and vanished. Harry pursued her and also vanished into the wall, but what waited on the other side was not, as he had supposed, a hidden room, but a forest glen. "Whoa, now where are we? How did we get here?" he asked himself idly while looking around for some sign of Genevieve.  
  
To his left were smoldering logs laden with a large cauldron, behind which he saw a small wooden cabin, just on the edge of the trees. It seemed the entire clearing was enclosed by large evergreens. Behind him, the largest tree trunk must be the one to contain the portal that brought him here. He passed by what was left of the fire and knocked on the door, which swung open.  
  
"Hello, Genevieve?" He cautiously entered the sparsely decorated hut. To his left was a fire which lit a portrait of a small baby boy no older than one. Harry approached it and found delight at its faint laughter as he did. As was the case in the wizarding world pictures moved. The baby seemed to be playing in his frame, its red hair accentuated by the firelight. Harry took another step forward and saw in the shadows a figure, seemingly transfixed to a wooden chair, also watching the portrait. "Genevieve?" Harry questioned the dark shadow. Only a nod answered. As the figure rose and walked toward Harry the baby stopped to look, then faintly said "Mama." The shadow stopped and kneeled. Harry pulled out his wand, muttered Lumos, and was bewildered to see this woman crying.  
  
"I can't do it," she whispered. "I can't. Even if I did ..." her voice trailed off. Harry kneeled next to her.  
  
"You can't do what?"  
  
"Oh dear boy, don't you understand. I brought you here to kill you" Harry's eyes enlarged and he jumped back toward the fire with his want out. Genevieve pulled a dagger from the sleeve of her robes and let it clatter to the floor. "I must find another way," she muttered, talking more to herself than Harry.  
  
"To do what?" Harry wanted to know if she was looking for another way to kill him. A long silence followed in which they stared at each other.  
  
"To get him back," was the reply as Genevieve broke her gaze with Harry and turned to the baby in the portrait. "The Dark Lord murdered my muggle husband and has stolen my precious child from me. I was told he would only be returned if I killed you. I thought I would do anything to get him back, but not this. Even if he was returned alive how could I teach him to respect human life and behave honorably if I did this? How could I break a promise to Lily? I would not even be here were it not for her." Harry could see the internal struggle which had beset the woman before him, and hear random rational as she was torn so deeply.  
  
Harry could not help but ask, "How did you know my mother?" and it was at this point that Genevieve looked up, surprised that Harry was still there.  
  
"She was a dear friend to me and my mother, we worked together. She then shielded us from those who would have us executed and was a great champion to our cause. She was so kind and generous, as was James, stalwart and brave. I will not let their deaths be in vain by allowing the Dark Lord this underhanded victory. I will not kill a Potter."  
  
Harry noticed that this last statement served to strengthen her resolve as well as to reassure him. "Come, we must get you back to Diagon Alley." She brought herself off the floor, took only a brief pause to gaze at her happily playing portrait child, and left the hut.  
  
She led Harry back through the large tree trunk to Diagon Alley and toward the Leaky Cauldron. She didn't speak a word nor leave his side until Harry was to the point where he could see his friends, a sea of red hair, just outside the book shop. He turned to thank her but she had vanished. Harry strolled up to the Weasleys, who appeared to be looking for him, and was pleased to see the Grainger's, Hermione's muggle parents.  
  
"Ron, you'll never guess what just happened," Harry began, but Ron wasn't listening. He was just standing there staring at, "Hermione" Harry gasped, "Is that you?" 


	3. Hermione! Muggle London

Authors Note/Disclaimer. Sorry for not mentioning this before..I do not own anything JKR does..wish I did, but I don't. Original Characters are/will be here in this one and the sequel. They are mine and just visiting the HP world to stretch their legs and get a good work out before they get back to the completely original story I'm writing..Thanx for reading.  
  
Standing before the boys was not the girl they new as their best friend but a developing woman. Her bushy brown hair a bit more tame and she was now a few inches taller than either of the boys.  
  
"Hi Harry, Hello Ron, how were your summers?" Scarcely a reply could fall from their lips as they gaped open mouthed at their friend. In fact, it wasn't until another figure from their past approached them from behind that either of the stunned boys moved at all.  
  
"Ah, Harry and your friend Ron. Hermione, you should have told me they'd be here. We could have waited lunch and eaten together," said Viktor Krum while messing up Harry's mop of uncontrollable dark hair. Harry noticed his English skills had vastly improved. He was even taller than he had been last year when Harry had competed against him, and won, at the tri- wizard tournament. "How have you been this summer, Harry?"  
  
"Fine Krum, and you?"  
  
"Oh, please call me Viktor, and our summer was splendid. Wasn't it Hermione? We saw so many things in my country even I had never seen before. And now Hermione is showing me your beautiful country-side." Ron shot an incredulous look at Hermione, who didn't bat an eye before adding, "My parents and I found the trip very educational and exciting. Maybe next year we can all go back."  
  
"Harry, Ron, there you are" Mrs. Weasley called out, "now if you have got everything you need we'd best be getting home, there's dinner to get on the table and tomorrow we need to leave early to catch the train."  
  
"Mom, why can't we just stay at the Leaky Cauldron and leave from here in the morning," asked Ginny with pleading eyes. "It would be ever so much less hassle."  
  
"Yeah Mom," chorused the twins, who'd already met up with their friend Lee Jordan who was planning on doing the same.  
  
"My parents and I are staying at a hotel in Muggle London, so we would be close by," added Hermione.  
  
"What do you think Arthur?" Mrs. Weasley asked her husband.  
  
"Sounds good to me, but we won't have Ministry cars this year so we'll have to take the Muggle underground. I'll need a solemn promise from each of you to behave and stick together while we're doing so, understood." He inspected the faces of each hopeful child until he received a unanimous promise to be good. "All right then Fred, George, go ask old Tom if he has some spare rooms for the night." With a collective hurrah from all the Weasley clan the twins ran off to find Tom, the keeper of the Leaky Cauldron.  
  
Time restraints now relieved, Harry could turn his conversation to more pressing matters. "So, Viktor, when are you going back to Bulgaria?"  
  
"Go back? I'm not going back yet. I just graduated from Durmstrang and have got a job with the Quidditch supply store in Hogsmeade, mostly giving flying lessons. I decided to take a year rest before I rejoin the National Bulgarian Quidditch Team."  
  
"He'll be right by the castle isn't that wonderful," Hermione chimed in, "We can visit him on Hogsmeade weekends and he has been asked to help out at the school once and a while"  
  
"Oh" was all Ron could grunt out. As much as all the Weasley boys idolized Viktor Krum for his amazing talents on the Quidditch field, Ron had a hard time putting their past differences behind him. It had been less than a year ago that Viktor Krum was competing against Harry and Hogwarts in the Tri-Wizard tournament and that type of energy was hard to let go.  
  
"I will be riding the train with you all tomorrow, but my ticket says Platform 9 ¾ and no one has told me what muggle protections there could be at a train station. How peculiar you British wizards are," continued Krum.  
  
"Don't worry about it, Viktor. We can all show you tomorrow, it is really easy," Harry tried to say casually. He was glad to know something Krum didn't. Just then the twins returned.  
  
"Dad, Tom has only got three rooms so it will be tight but he said he had some cots and such," George informed his father.  
  
"I have a room to myself," interjected Krum, "perhaps one of you can stay with me, make it a little less crowded."  
  
"Wow, Viktor that is down right gentlemanly of you," said the twins each of them putting an arm around his neck and leading him toward Florean Fortesques Ice Cream Parlor. "Let me buy you a soda" continued Fred, "did we ever tell you we knew you'd catch the snitch during the World Cup.." Harry could hear their voices trail off in the distance.  
  
As it turned out Harry and not the twins shared a room with Krum that night. It was at the insistence of Mr. Weasley who seemed to think it rude to let loose such great fans on a man who obviously needed a good night sleep. Harry tried to get ready for bed quickly but was not quite done when Krum came in.  
  
"So, you drew the short straw, huh Harry," Krum tried to joke. "Something like that. Are you all packed for tomorrow? Where's your trunk?"  
  
"I already have a flat in Hogsmeade, so I'm all set," Harry was a bit jealous because he wished he could be on his own. As it was he faced returning to Privet Drive at the end of the school year. "Are you ready, Harry?"  
  
"Just about." All Harry had left to pack was the photo book of his parents which he liked to look at before going to bed. He held it in his hand but felt somehow embarrassed to be looking at pictures of his parents in front of Krum.  
  
"What's that you got there," inquired Krum, pointing to the leather bound book.  
  
"Just images of a life I'll never know," he replied though the words surprised him.  
  
"Let's have a look then." Krum's large hands took the book from Harry and they both crossed the room to the bed. Krum turned the pages very slowly. Smiling, waving photographs, one right after another, greeted them both.  
  
"Who are they," Krum began to ask, but then answered his own question, "These are your parents aren't they Harry. I heard you looked like your dad, but wow, the resemblance is uncanny."  
  
"Yeah, I get that a lot," Harry was squirming a little, yet again embarrassed by the attention his name and past frequently brought him.  
  
"Do you want to see my parents?"  
  
"Sure," Harry was curious to see what the parents of the famous Seeker, Viktor Krum looked like. Viktor reached into his back pocket and pulled out a very shabby leather billfold, which struck Harry as odd because all wizard currency was in the form of coins and therefore the wallet of most wizards took the shape of leather pouches or belt boxes. When Krum unfolded the billfold it became apparent that it was muggle made, with plastic inserts and stationary pictures.  
  
"That's my mother, and there's my father," he said with pride. Harry was a little surprised to see how beautiful his mother was. She was gracious woman with long dark hair. Her nose was petite and her eyes, piercing. It was obvious Krum had inherited his protruding nose from his father. "The pictures don't move because their both muggles," Krum answered before Harry had a chance to ask. "They had a lot of family on both sides who were wizards and when they died my Uncle raised me as his own, so most people don't know I'm muggle born."  
  
"I never would have guessed it," Harry agreed, "not with the way you fly."  
  
"Yeah, well now we both know a bit more about each other." Krum was now the one shifting uncomfortably. "We had better get to bed, is it a long trip to Hogwarts?" "It takes most of the day to get there by train. Good night." Harry rose from Krum's bed and slipped into the cot after placing the pictures of his parents back into his trunk.  
  
*****  
  
Knock, knock, knock. "Are you awake in there?" Mrs. Weasley called into Krum's room. "Boys, it is time to wake up. We have quite the journey ahead of us today. Make some noise to let me know you hear me."  
  
"We are up, ma'am. No need to worry about us," Krum responded. Harry was a little shocked when he creaked open one eye to see a nearly dresses Krum, while he was still in bed. "Do you want me to carry your trunk down Harry?"  
  
"No, I can manage thanks"  
  
"If you're sure then.I'll see you downstairs for breakfast."  
  
Harry hurried to get dressed in his most muggle clothes. He knew they would be taking the underground and with all those people and trunks he wanted to attract as little attention as possible. All his planning would be for naught. As he dragged his trunk through the hallway he saw Mr. Weasley attired in green jeans about two sizes too small and a floral Hawaiian shirt half tucked in. In the bustle of the day he forgot to comb his hair which now made it quite wild in the back. While this was considerably better than his wardrobe choices for the World Cup it was still apt to attract attention.  
  
"Good morning Harry. Breakfast is ready and hot I hear. Will you join us for some waffles."  
  
"That sounds lovely. I'll be along as soon as I've put my trunk with the others." Harry rather enjoyed the special breakfast Tom whipped up for his guests this morning. At least seven other families had the same idea to stay the night at the inn so the bar resembled the train station with its chaotic noise levels, people running about and pets flying or scampering over and under foot.  
  
While at breakfast when he saw Ron, Harry remembered he still hadn't told him about his meeting with Genevieve the day before. Although it was again pushed aside in his mind as Hermione and the Graingers entered the Leaky Cauldron. Mr. and Mrs. Grainger were taken aback by the frenzied pace and only relaxed when they came up to the Weasleys.  
  
"Are you ready to go," Hermione asked the troupe.  
  
"Give us ten minutes to finish breakfast and we will be," Mr. Weasley answered with a mouth full of syrup laden waffle. "Please join us."  
  
"No thanks," Mrs. Grainger said quickly, "we ate at our hotel."  
  
"Suit yourself."  
  
It wasn't until nearly half an hour later everyone had finally gathered all their belongings and pets and had begun the journey into muggle London. "Alright gang, it is only one block north to the underground that will take us straight to King's Cross Station. Stick together, walk quickly, and try not to bring too much attention to us." Mr. Weasley tried to council his family, but he seemed more excited than anyone for the trek through London. As they walked up the street Mr. Weasley could not help but stare in awe of the many electrical and mechanical devices. "So that's how those light signals work. When the light is red they stop?" He confirmed with Harry. "Fascinating."  
  
Worst of all was after they had finally gotten on the underground. "Look Molly, more wizards," he exclaimed as he saw a group of teenager dressed all in black. Harry and the Graingers tried to stop him but it was too late. "Are you off to Hogwarts as well? You know your clothes are too much of a giveaway." He told the teens. He turned to one with orange spiked hair and while pointing to his head offered, "Molly has got a potion that will clear that right up." The group, who at first had ignored him, was now getting quite agitated.  
  
"I am so sorry gentlemen. Pardon him, he thought you were someone we know." Harry had stepped in and was now pulling Mr. Weasley away. "Mr. Weasley, those are not wizards, they are muggles."  
  
"Are you quite sure?"  
  
"Yes, and they do not tolerate people telling them how to dress or style their hair"  
  
"You mean he did that to his hair on purpose," Mr. Weasley said a little louder than Harry would have liked, especially when he saw the gang approach. It was their leader who spoke first.  
  
"You don't like the way my friend here does his hair. And how would you prefer we dress, like tourists as you do? Where do you think you are the tropics?" At this his followers all laughed, while the Weasleys and Graingers grew increasingly nervous. Just then Krum stepped forward and addressed the gang, "Is there a problem here." "None at all," the leader back off as Krum was nearly six inches taller than he. "We were just exchanging fashion tips." Then he motioned to his cohorts to follow him off at the next stop. 


	4. Hogwarts Express Part One

Disclaimer..it's mine, it's all mine.(evil Voldemort laugh), Oh, no...fight Imperious, you can do it, (shakes head in shame), ah well, I wouldn't want all that money anyway..everything HP belongs to JKR.  
  
"Here we are, Kings Cross. Everyone grab a trolley and let's go," Mrs. Weasley instructed. As everyone had done this before, except Krum, he was the only one who looked slightly nervous.  
  
"There is no real trick to it. I mean no spells to perform or anything," Harry overheard Hermione explain to Krum. "Just walk, or run toward the wall and it will let you through."  
  
"But what about muggles, won't they see. And what happens if a muggle leaned against it or something, would they get through?"  
  
"No. The muggles do not see it because their minds can't see properly. And it only lets wizards through." Hermione answered.  
  
"Alright boys," Mrs. Weasley pointed to her twins, "You first, then Ron and Harry. Hurry up now." Fred and George disappeared into the barrier as Harry and Ron pushed their carts into position.  
  
"Let's just walk it this time Harry."  
  
"Alright, Ron, real casual now." They approached the wall and as they leaned into it found themselves on the other side. The scarlet steam engine stood before them with the iron sign reading Platform 9 ¾. Harry was so glad to see it again. They moved forward just in time as Hermione and Viktor came running through the wall, followed by a panting Ginny and her Father. They did not see Mrs. Weasley come in as they were staring at the train and the massive crowd around it but they heard her voice as she passed out sandwiches to all her children.  
  
"Now boys, please try to stay out of trouble this year. These are dangerous times and you could get yourselves in more trouble than you bargained for if you try to pull any stunts." She spoke directly to the twins but loud enough for all her clan to hear.  
  
"Dad, the train," Ginny exclaimed, "It's nearly twice as long as last year. Are there that many more students starting?"  
  
"No dear," her father answered. "This year the train ride will be a bit different. A few parents have been asked to accompany you on this journey, just to make sure."  
  
"Of what dad?" Fred asked. But Mr. Weasley changed the subject, "You'd better get your trunks loaded. Viktor, would you help Ginny with hers?"  
  
"Of course, Mr. Weasley."  
  
Harry stared in amazement at the train that so faithfully took him away from the muggle world. It's scarlet engine and cars glistened in the sun, lighting them like rubies. It did seem a bit longer, and shortly Harry saw just how many adults were to be traveling with them.  
  
"Hi Neville," Harry called, but no answer came from his forgetful friend. Neville was too busy searching for his ticket until his Grandmother, who'd raised him, showed the conductor two tickets, one ticket for Neville and one for herself. "Mr. Moody?" Harry stared in awe at the man whose body had been savagely disfigured during his lifelong fight against evil.  
  
"Hello Mr. Potter," Mad Eye Moody returned in salute, his magical eye wildly scanning passersby. "Fine day we're having here wouldn't you agree. You had better take your seat before someone else does." Harry was jostled about by the tumultuous crowd and only managed to reunite with Hermione and Ron at the back of the train just before the train started. As he went to sit by Hermione she stopped him abruptly, "You can't sit there. That's Viktor's seat." Ron glared at her but Harry just shook his head as Krum came in followed by the twins.  
  
"Hello boys, is there room in here for me," Mr. Weasley asked. "Oh, six already. Guess not. No mind I'll sit with the adults up front."  
  
"Dad, what are you doing here," Ron asked.  
  
"Seeing as how half my family is on this train, I thought it only fair to volunteer to protect it."  
  
"Dad, what is going on? You can tell us," Fred implored. Perhaps it was the pleading in all their faces, or because his tender girl wasn't there, that persuaded Mr. Weasley to explain.  
  
"I assume, since you were there, that you know what happened at the end of last year," Krum screwed up is face in intense concentration.  
  
"You mean with He Who Must Not Be Named" he finally recalled.  
  
"Yes," Mr. Weasley hurried on. "You-Know-Who has been gaining force this summer and wants to take Hogwarts." Gasps filled the small compartment.  
  
"But I thought he was too afraid of Dumbledore to try anything like that," Hermione rationalized.  
  
"It seems he thinks that was a mistake, and to prove his power he is aiming for that first, rather than last," said Mr. Weasley. "Fortunately for us, the Ministry office of Defense created plans for protecting Hogwarts from intruders ever since the Sirius Black incident two years ago. They have come up with a way to prevent entry of non-flight creatures by any way other than this train. Your owls will still get to us and ours to you, but unless someone is on this train they cannot get to or leave Hogwarts. There are small skirmishes taking place all around the barrier. Someone is trying to find a way through it, and all those who believe in what happened at the end of last year know who's behind it."  
  
The silence in the cabin was deafening. Voldemort was trying to take Hogwarts first, as his great announcement of arrival. And as Mr. Weasley pointed out, only those who believed knew what was happening. Harry remembered only too well Cornelius Fudge, the Minister of Magic, in complete denial of the whole affair and subsequent refusal to take action. "Well, now that you are all informed, please don't tell Ginny. I'm afraid it would be too upsetting for her." With nods of promise from each of the cabin's occupants Mr. Weasley left to find a place to sit with the other adults.  
  
*****  
  
The train rattled on though the cabin remained in relative silence, until Harry noticed something was missing. "Hermione, where is Crookshanks?" Her cat, Crookshanks, she had gotten in their third year of school had been very helpful to these friends in distinguishing those who could be trusted from those who were not what they seemed.  
  
Hermione's face fell and a quiet, sad voice answered, "She ran away while we were in Bulgaria. A muggle friend of mine was house sitting for us and one day Crookshanks was just gone."  
  
"I am so sorry Hermione," Ron consoled, despite the differences he had with the cat.  
  
"Yeah, I'm sorry too," Harry added.  
  
"I have almost gotten over it," Hermione tried to put on a brave face.  
  
  
  
After a few more minutes of awkward silence, the twins stood up. Fred asked, "Let's go find Lee. Viktor, do you want to come? I'm sure there are lots of Hogwarts students who will want to talk to you now that you are not competing against us." Fred and George rarely failed to be the purveyors of mischief or to be in the center of attention. It was obvious they were going to play their friendship with Krum to the max.  
  
"Alright, maybe I can set up a few appointments for flying lessons. It would be good for business. Do you want to come, Hermione?"  
  
"Hermione," Harry said quickly, "Stay here for a minute. I want to chat for a bit."  
  
"I'll catch up with you later Viktor," Hermione called to Krum. "What is it Harry?"  
  
Harry had been considering whether or not to tell his friends about his encounter with Genevieve in Diagon Alley but if anyone would know why that salesman went ballistic about the Travelers Watch it would be Hermione. As he related the story, from when he first met Genevieve at the Dursleys for Hermione's benefit, her eyes widened and she began rummaging through her bag for a book. Though she did wait until Harry finished before asking, "So you say she tried to kill you to save her son but couldn't because of a promise she made to your parents?"  
  
"Yes, but it was really strange. I never felt in any real danger, and when she said she would look out for me instead I believed her."  
  
Ron just sat there, apparently thinking. "Why would she take you from the Dursleys to save you from You Know Who, only to try and kill you later?" Then he almost shouted with alarm, "And what about that chest she gave my parents, is it dangerous?"  
  
"I doubt it," Hermione said as she thumbed through the pages, "Did the chest look like this?" She turned the book around so the boys could see it. There is was, exactly the same down to the last ruby.  
  
"Yes, but what is it," Ron asked.  
  
"This isn't very specific because it's not a real chest..at least it shouldn't be."  
  
"What do you mean, not real? I saw it; it's sitting in my dad's vault in Gringotts and there is a picture of it in your book."  
  
"This is a book of folklore, not a reference book."  
  
"Wizards have fairy tales?" Harry was blown away and leaned back in his chair as he shook his head. "To muggles we are fairy tales."  
  
"Sure we have folklore," Ron was glad to be well versed in something Hermione had only read about in books. "My parents used to tell me all sorts of stories when I was little. Some of it was about muggles and others about creatures that don't exist or at least not anymore."  
  
"Like what," Harry asked. He often felt left out, not having the benefit of a wizard's childhood.  
  
"Let's see, there was this one about two nosy little Muggle kids who went around eating all this witches sweets that she had made for her sisters wedding. She had turned her house into gingerbread for the occasion and they came in and spoiled it."  
  
Harry could not help but laugh. "Muggles call that Hansel and Gretel except it the other way around."  
  
"What, the witch eats the kid's house?"  
  
"No, the witch catches the kids and then fattens up Hansel so she can eat him by making Gretel cook, but the kids get away and bake the witch instead."  
  
"That is horrible. The poor old witch was just trying to prepare for her sisters wedding and those two brats bake her! I don't think I like muggle fairy tales."  
  
"It is a bit different than you think but that is beside the point," Harry tried to defuse Ron's resentment. "What does it say in that book about the chest, Hermione?"  
  
"It says that it is the bottomless chest. That the person who knows how to work it can choose what it will contain and then it will never run out of that. So you say the box Genevieve gave the Weasleys had galleons in it. According to this you could take galleons out of it forever and it would keep refilling itself every full moon. Oh, it says here that if the chest is ever completely emptied the spell will be broken and the chest will just be a normal box. You had better warn your parents Ron."  
  
"No need, Genevieve already did." The three of them were stunned. Ron was the most blown away. "How can this be happening. These are just legends?" Harry and then Hermione began to laugh.  
  
"Now you know how we felt coming from muggle homes into the wizard world." At that the three of them laughed some more.  
  
"Well, if it is true," Ron expressed in amusement, "Then my parents are rich."  
  
"Did I hear you correctly Weasel," said an all too familiar drawl, "Your parents came into some money did they?" Draco Malfoy, now a bit taller though still not as large as the goons who flanked him slid open the compartment door. "Crabbe and Goyle here seem to think you said your parents were rich Weasel. Did he finally give up that Muggle Protection job at the ministry to do something with real Wizard Pride or did he simply find a few galleons. I guess to you that would seem like a fortune." Crabbe and Goyle laughed but Harry just looked past them into the hall, with a smirk of his own.  
  
"You had better watch what you say Malfoy, you never know who is listening." Draco followed Harry's gaze and saw Mr. Weasley accompanied by a very large black shaggy dog. Draco and his cronies broke through them, leaving in contempt. 


	5. Attack!

"Dumbledore told me there would be a dog on this train and that he was yours Harry. I didn't know the Dursleys gave you a dog." Mr. Weasley said as Harry had knelt down to scratch the massive dog's ears and receive the affectionate licking it gave him.  
  
"The Dursleys didn't give him to me. We look out for each other some times, that's all." Harry did not know if Dumbledore had explained that this particular dog was the animagi form of his convict godfather, and decided the train was not the proper time to explain it. Especially since they had been over heard once already.  
  
"It looks like you two get along pretty well. I have got to get up front. It has been too quiet out in the bush and some of the adults think that..never mind. I don't want to worry you unnecessarily" and with that Mr. Weasley left quickly.  
  
"Hermione, Ron, will you two keep a look out at the door. I want to talk to Sirius alone." Harry asked.  
  
"Sure, Harry," Ron replied as he and Hermione left the compartment to stand guard.  
  
"We'll tap on the door if anyone is coming." The already massive dog grew into a large man. The last time Harry had seen Sirius Black he had a sallow, sunken, pale look about him, but he was now robust, with a lot of color and a great smile.  
  
"Sirius, you look wonderful," Harry exclaimed as they embraced.  
  
"It is amazing what a few good meals and some sunshine can do for a person, Harry. You have grown yourself." Harry felt wonderful in this fatherly hug and only reluctantly let go to try and tell him everything that has gone on.  
  
"There is no time for details Harry," Sirius interrupted. "I'm afraid your story will have to wait. It is not safe for me to be like this for long." Harry nodded and listened.  
  
"Once we get to Hogwarts, Dumbledore has asked that I be a guard dog on the grounds. That way we can speak more often and I'll be there to protect you, if that is ok with you?"  
  
"OK...it's wonderful."  
  
"You will find a few things different once you get to Hogwarts, especially in the Hogsmeade area, but Dumbledore will explain everything when he is ready so I will leave the details for him. I had better change back into Snuffles, we can not risk getting caught."  
  
"Alright." And with that word the man before Harry transformed back into a dog. "It's alright you two, you can come back in now." Harry called to his friends, who entered swiftly.  
  
"Good timing, the food cart is almost here." Ron was quite fond of this part of the trip.  
  
"Mom gave me the sandwiches, but also some money for the year. I'm looking forward to this." He said rubbing his hands together. When the cart, pushed by a kindly old witch arrived he bought chocolate frogs, and Bertie Botts every flavor beans and all sorts of other wizard candies. Harry and Hermione followed suit and the three of them, and 'Snuffles' ate the treats with great satisfaction.  
  
"What was that!" Hermione screamed as the train lurched uncontrollably.  
  
"Hermione, are you ok," chorused Ron and the returning Viktor, who had rushed to her side.  
  
"Yes, but what happened." Snuffles had his nose to the window peering out into the twilight. Harry mimicked him and saw the wild growth around the train shivering with movement.  
  
"There is something out there," he said to the others.  
  
"That's an understatement," Ron blurted as the train again lurched and everyone reached for something to steady them. Luggage fell and the lights flickered.  
  
"Everyone, remain calm," a magically magnified voice echoed through the cars from one of the adults in front.  
  
"Oh my" whispered Harry under his breath, looking wide eyed out of the window.  
  
Just ahead the track bent and through the trees and undergrowth he could see the front of the train, and what had caused it to lurch and slow to a crawl. Two giants were standing on either side of the track, each over 40 feet tall. Several of the adults on board where standing on top of the engine with wands out. The adult closest to the giants attempted to use a magnified voice to talk their way through but it was evident the negotiation had turned sour.  
  
Now everyone had their eyes glued to the glass watching the action. With a combined burst of light from the wands the first giant stumbled backwards while the second leaned forward to brush the wizards away. Those who remained on the engine then shot a burst of red light toward the second giant while the others climbed back on. The second giant stumbled backward and forward and fell face first across the tracks.  
  
As the wizards on the train united their magic to levitate and move the giant in their path, Harry saw the Dark Mark, the skull and snake symbol used by Voldemort, rise into the sky. Screams and panic filled the train as students saw and recognized the culprit behind this attack.  
  
Death Eaters emerged from the forest and slowly approached the train as it began to roll forward again. When the train gained speed so did the Death Eaters and several of them reached for the trains handles. Lee Jordan and the Weasley Twins raced past the door of Harry's compartment and when Ron saw them he followed. At the back of the train the four of them shot hexes toward any Death Eater who tried to grab hold. Moments later they were joined by twelve other seventh year students and the various spells thrown off the train made the Death Eaters back off.  
  
Once the train regained full speed the tension eased, but only slightly. Several of the adults checked compartment to compartment to make sure no Death Eaters were on board and that no students were hurt. Mr. Weasley came to their cabin to make sure all his children were all right.  
  
"Fred, George and Ron," he counted off as he saw each of their faces and his own features relaxed. "Ginny was up front. She is pretty shook up so she's coming back here to be with you."  
  
"All right Dad," Fred answered, his usual jovial nature sobered. When Ginny arrived her eyes were red and cheeks tear stained. All of her brothers embraced her and their family hug swayed to the rhythm of the train, punctuated with comforting phrases for their frightened sister.  
  
*****  
  
Once inside the castle there was a general sigh of relief from students and adults alike. Harry and his fellow Gryffindors sat at their table, as the students from the other houses sat at their designated house tables. The adults sat at an extra table set on the far right of the room. Each of them looked exhausted from the battle with the giants.  
  
The first years, as was the custom, were brought in separately and congregated at the front of the room to be sorted. The tattered Sorting hat was brought forward. Each first year was asked to wear it for a moment until the hat called out which house they belonged to, though Harry and Ron were not paying attention to the ceremony. They were watching the Slytherin students, most specifically those near Draco Malfoy. Harry strained to hear what Draco was whispering that made his friends laugh.  
  
"No doubt he is wishing the Death Eaters had gotten on the train," Ron said under his breath to Harry, who nodded in reply.  
  
Harry was so absorbed watching Draco that he was quite surprised when a new Gryffindor girl sat next to him. She sat quietly, her hands in her lap caressed a long wispy wand, her head bowed. Thick, long dark hair hid most of her face from view.  
  
"Hello, I'm Harry and this in Ron," he introduced. Without changing her posture she bobbed her head in reply, but would not speak a word.  
  
"Are you alright?" Harry was concerned she may have been hurt on the train. Again, only a nod responded.  
  
"Maybe she's already heard who you are and is embarrassed," Ron chided. With that she looked up through her hair and Harry could see her face. She was not eleven as were all the other first years, but appeared to be slightly older than Harry. Her eyes were strikingly green and her pale skin shone beside her hair.  
  
At the end of the sorting Dumbledore stood to address everyone. "I am sure you all are wondering who will be filling the post of Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher. It has been most difficult to find volunteers but we have found two very talented people to do the job. They have not yet arrived so I will let them introduce themselves in their classes."  
  
Dumbledore seemed to be getting through the formalities as quickly as possible. "As you are all too aware our forest has become a haven for the Death Eaters." Dumbledore was not one to pull any punches. "I applaud your parents and guardians for sending you here and allowing you to continue your education despite those who would thwart our cause. I also want everyone here to show support for those who have chosen to ride with you and so bravely defended you."  
  
Dumbledore indicated the adults table and everyone gave them a round of applause. Harry saw Mr. Weasley's face turn red.  
  
"I told you at the end of last year Voldemort has managed to regain some power. He now plans to overrun our school. I, on the other hand, will not let that happen, but need your cooperation to keep you safe. The dark forest is not to be entered under any circumstances. No one is to walk the grounds unaccompanied, and everyone must return to their dormitories by nine o'clock each evening."  
  
His words echoed in the immense room. The mood in the room remained somber even after the feast magically appeared on the plates in front of them.  
  
When everyone had eaten their fill each table filed out of the Great Hall and followed their Prefects to the dormitories. This years Prefect was a tall blonde boy Harry had only seen in passing. He had introduced himself as Steve Carrington as he led the Gryffindor house up the many flights of stairs that led to their dormitory. At the end of a comfortably furnished hallway the Fat Lady hung in her portrait. The students approached and she asked,  
  
"Password?"  
  
"Akende Lucado." Steve said it loud enough for the whole group to hear. The portrait swung forward revealing the passageway to the Gryffindor common room. The boys climbed the staircase to the left up to the top where their comfortable four poster beds awaited them. 


	6. Stranger in our Midst

Breakfast on the first day of class was harried. First years were running about trying to find out where they were going. Older students were getting reacquainted with the schools layout, which could never be completely memorized because stairways, rooms and hallways had a tendency to move. While Harry, Ron, and Hermione ate breakfast looking over their schedules, "Darn, double potions with the Slytherins again," mail arrived. Harry didn't even look up because he rarely received mail unexpectedly, so that when the package hit his cereal milk splattered over the table. He looked up in time to see the hawk owl that had dropped it fly away.  
  
"What is it Harry?" Hermione asked as he tore away the plain brown paper.  
  
"A coin," Harry answered, "But I've never seen the like. Ron, is this a different kind of wizard money. Ron took the coin from Harry and examined it. It was bronze and a little smaller than a galleon. One side held the image of a Griffin, the other a Phoenix.  
  
"Not that I know of Harry. Is there a note?"  
  
"Let's see," Harry began looking through all the wrapping. "Yes, it reads 'keep this safe until I come for it' but no one signed it." Harry said while turning the paper over.  
  
"Maybe they did," Hermione was looking over Harry's shoulder. "See there, in the corner. That symbol."  
  
"It looks strangely familiar" said Harry. "Oh, we'd better get to class. We have Defense Against the Dark Arts first and I want to know who they got to teach it." Harry tucked the coin into his money bag and hurried with his friends off to class.  
  
When they finally reached the door they found it locked with the rest of the class gathered about it.  
  
"Do you suppose they still haven't found a teacher," Seamus Finnigan, one of Harry's dorm mates asked. As the class broke into gossip a faint sound could be heard behind the door.  
  
"Shhh, everyone," Ron ordered. He and Harry pressed their ears to the door. "It sounds like heavy footsteps, and someone smaller in there. Let's go in."  
  
"We should wait for the teacher," Seamus offered nervously.  
  
"Not if someone could be in trouble," Harry said while extracting his wand.  
  
"Alohamora" he called and the latch unlocked. He and Ron swung in the heavy door only to see a little, robe clad witch sitting on the teacher's desk.  
  
"I wondered who would be first to come in." She laughed looking at Harry and Ron.  
  
"Should have known it would be you Harry." Word of the test shot through the incoming class and the tension dissolved while everyone looked for seats. Harry on the other hand stood there looking at the teacher.  
  
"You," was all he could manage to say in disbelief.  
  
"What is it Harry?" Ron asked.  
  
"That's Mrs. Figg. She was my babysitter when I was growing up at the Dursley's."  
  
"You do remember then Harry," she laughed as she walked toward him. She seemed much lighter on her feet than he remembered.  
  
"Why didn't you tell me you are a witch, or for that matter that I was a wizard all those times I was at your house." Harry asked a bit more forcefully than he meant.  
  
"We can talk about that after class Harry." She indicated the rest of the Gryffindor fifth years watching them. "It is so good to see you again," she said to him as he, Hermione and Ron took their seats.  
  
"Welcome students to your first class on your first day back to school. I am Professor Figg and will be your teacher for the more part of this year. Given current climates we have a lot to cover and we will be going over extremely advanced material very quickly. If you have any questions about anything, please feel free to ask or comment at any time.."  
  
As she retrieved papers from her desk Harry looked around the room. Mrs. Figg had practically wallpapered the entire classroom with pictures of her cats. But these were not the stationary pictures he had looked through while at her home three streets away from the Dursley's, but cats doing what cats do. Some were sleeping, others playing with toys in the bounds of their frames. Still others watched the students with deep interest. Several, real live cats were scattered about the room.  
  
Professor Figg continued, "10 points will be added to Gryffindor for Mr. Weasley and Mr. Potter's awareness and courage. Often it is the unknown and unexpected that become our downfall, yet these two brave souls dove in to that precise situation."  
  
"Of course they would. Harry has had more experience than most anybody," Dean Thomas said.  
  
"That may be true, but I hear from Professor McGonagall he and Mr. Weasley spent a lot of time preparing as well. Now, you may not have a tournament to practice for, but you do have the train ride home in December and June." The class began to shift in their seats. "My goal is to have you so well equipped by then that the Death Eaters will rue the day they attacked that train." The class began to cheer. "But," she shouted over the commotion "it will take a lot of hard work and cooperation as well as trust on each of your parts. Are you ready to get to work?" The class was unanimously excited by the prospect of being able to defend themselves pulled out their books and began reading along and discussing topics with Professor Figg.  
  
"That was one of the best classes ever," Dean said as they all walked to Herbology. Harry stayed behind to have a word with Professor Figg. "Why didn't you tell me who you were and what I was." He pleaded to the face he thought he was familiar with.  
  
"Harry, I thought you knew, at least what you are. I didn't want to interfere too much with your upbringing. How would you have reacted when you were five, dropped off at my house if I magically whipped up lunch and ran around wearing robes? I could not risk you telling the Dursleys. If they knew I was a witch they would never have let me watch you. Despite anything they may have done, you have grown into a wonderful young man. I am very proud of you."  
  
Harry saw the point but was still a little upset because of all the years he didn't know he was a wizard, but could have. He was most upset with the Dursleys, who had known but refused to tell him and tried to no avail to push him down to keep the magic out of him. While Harry ran off to class he couldn't help but think of the Dursleys.  
  
*****  
  
Distracted as Harry was, thinking about what Professor Figg had said, he stormed off toward the greenhouses for herbology and walked straight through a ghost. Harry felt as though he were freezing and was blowing into his cupped hand as he turned to see through whom he had passed. A woman stood stoically watching the greenhouses, long silvery hair half held up in a twist matched the renaissance royalty style dress she wore. She barely acknowledged him, as he observed her watching his class. He ran down the sloping lawns the rest of the way. Professor Sprout however did notice him, as he was 10 minutes late.  
  
"I'm sorry Professor, I was detained by Mrs. Figg."  
  
"That is Professor Figg, Mr. Potter. And I will still deduct 5 points from Gryffindor for your tardiness. Now, hurry up and join the others." Harry stood next to Ron and Hermione, apart from the Ravenclaws and other Gryffindors in the class.  
  
"So, did Prof. Figg explain why she never told you?" Hermione asked as she wrote down the identities of each plant in front of her.  
  
"Yes, but that does not make it any less frustrating."  
  
"Don't worry so much about it Harry. You know what you are now so what does it matter?" Ron asked. He was flipping through his book, obviously having a harder time recognizing the plants than Hermione. Harry took out a quill and parchment and began the assignment.  
  
"You wouldn't understand." Harry looked past a large leafed orchid bedecked with pearl like seeds. "What is she doing here? I thought she was a first year?" Just across from Harry was the mysterious brunette who had been sorted yesterday.  
  
"I'm not sure, but she is rather good. She answered every question Professor Sprout threw at her before you got here," Ron answered. "She even knew a few Hermione didn't."  
  
"She introduced herself as Morgain, but no last name. The first years have all sorts of theories but no one has confirmed anything." Hermione whispered. Harry looked at her again. She wore her hair up, out of her face, today in an ornate series of braids. Only one thin braid hung straight down, which she was twirling while gazing out the doors, in the direction of the castle.  
  
"Alright class, please hand in your parchment as you leave," Professor Sprout announced when class had ended. Harry noticed Morgain was the first to turn her completed assignment in and hurry back to the castle for lunch. Harry had barely started, but lead Hermione and Ron to turn them in and head up the grounds.  
  
"Where did she go" Harry asked.  
  
"Who?" asked Ron.  
  
"Morgain."  
  
"What is she a dark haired Veela." Hermione scoffed.  
  
"No, I'm just curious." Harry tried to hide his interest. "She's in our house and no one knows anything about her, not to mention being a first year in a fifth year herbology class." As the trio hiked up the slope Harry noticed that the ghost he had encountered on the way down was gone.  
  
"We'll catch up with her at lunch and ask her," Ron suggested. "I'm starving."  
  
When they got to the Great Hall they grabbed some meatloaf, potatoes and rolls and then walked over to the Gryffindor table. Morgain was just finishing her lunch. Harry walked up to her, "Do you mind if we join you?"  
  
"No," her voice was soft and clear. "I do not mind."  
  
"My name is"  
  
"Harry Potter, I know who you are" she interrupted.  
  
"Oh, what is your name?" Harry asked. Ron was covering his meatloaf in ketchup and Hermione was reading in preparation for her next class, neither one of them were as interested as Harry to find out about this stranger.  
  
"Morgain."  
  
"What is your last name?"  
  
"I have never had need for one."  
  
"What?" Ron was shocked. He found someone lacking a last name even more interesting than the potato he had half stuck in his mouth.  
  
"Pardon me, I must go to my next class," and she stood quickly and walked toward the door. Harry followed.  
  
"I didn't mean to be rude by asking. I just want to know who you are." Harry called after her as she glided up the main stair case. When she got to the landing she met Peeves the Poltergeist floating just above her. He was a knavish fellow who delighted in misleading the students and causing as much chaos as he could. He took a deep breath to blow raspberries as her, as was his customary greeting to most students, but seemed unable to spit at her. His eyes grew wide and he settled to the ground, where to everyone's astonishment he bowed to her. Her only response was to walk away quickly toward the charms corridor.  
  
"What was that," Harry asked himself in disbelief. Hermione and Ron just met up with him in the hall.  
  
"What happened" Ron asked, stuffing another roll into his mouth.  
  
"Peeves just bowed to Morgain."  
  
"Your kidding," said Hermione, "I wonder if she will tell us how?"  
  
"No time to ask now. We had better be off to Divination, Ron," Harry said. "I can't wait to see what horrific death Professor Trelawney will predict for me today." Harry motioned Ron to follow him, as they had to go to the furthest tower.  
  
Hermione grabbed Harry before he left and whispered, "Now I'm curious. I have free study time for two hours. I'm going to see what I can find out about her. Meet me at the back of the library after Divination." Harry nodded and as he and Ron started the journey up to the tower, Hermione turned to follow Morgain down the charms corridor.  
  
Disclaimer: J. K. Rowling is one of my heroes, and as imitation is the sincerest form of flattery....but legally her ideas are still hers and mine are mine, darn.  
  
Rainbow: Thank you for the review!!!!!!!! You made my day. Hope you enjoy the rest of it. 


	7. Mystery Begins

For the last two years that Harry had taken Divination from Professor Trelawney she almost constantly predicted his death. At first it had frightened him and then annoyed him. But by now it was merely something to laugh about because despite prediction after prediction of gruesome death he yet lived. Harry and Ron ascended the flights of stairs to the landing at the top. Shortly after they arrived Dean Thomas and Seamus Finnigan joined them and they all sat waiting for the dramatic entrance of the ladder from the ceiling that would allow them access to their classroom.  
  
"So, do you think it will be death by drowning or fire" Harry joked to Ron.  
  
"I think," Ron stood and adopting an exaggerated form of Professor Trelawney's misty voice said, "that yoooouu wiillll faaalll victiimm tooooo theee Plague." He pretended to look into a crystal ball, waiving his hand about it. Harry, Dean and Seamus broke into gales of laughter at Ron impersonation. The girls who over heard it however were not as impressed.  
  
Lavender Brown asked, "If you do not believe in Divination why do you take this class anyway." The group of boys looked around at each other, but it was Harry who answered,  
  
"Because it looked easier than Arithmancy." His companions all laughed.  
  
Once inside the Divination classroom Harry and Ron sat at the table furthest from the wingback chair the Professor used near the fireplace. And wrote notes back and forth, trying their best to ignore everything Professor Trelawny said for the full hour.  
  
"So where did she go" Harry asked Hermione once he and Ron joined her in the back of the library.  
  
"To class," Hermione whispered. "Keep your voice down."  
  
"What happened?" Ron pressed.  
  
"Nothing."  
  
"How do you mean nothing?"  
  
"She was like any other first year in her charms class. Maybe even worse. It was like she had never seen a wand before and was scared it would turn into a snake or something. Maybe she's muggle born," offered Hermione.  
  
"But muggles need last names." Harry was stumped and began to think out loud.  
  
"The best clue we have is that Peeves recognized her and bowed. The only other person Peeves would bow to is the Bloody Baron."  
  
"She could be one of his descendents?" Ron picked up on Harry's train of thought.  
  
"But we don't know anything about the Bloody Baron either."  
  
"We could ask Nearly Headless Nick about the Bloody Baron" offered Hermione.  
  
"I tried first year, he would not tell me anything then but it's worth another try." Harry said as he pushed out the chair he was sitting on and got to his feet.  
  
"Or Mr. Harry Potter sir might want to check in this book," said a small creature with big eyes and ears.  
  
"Dobby?" Harry looked at the strange creature carrying a book twice his size. Once Harry relieved the little house elf of his burden they could see he had improved his knitting skills considerably. As it was the custom of house elves to wear rags and pillow cases though, Dobby's sense of style ran slightly askew. He wore a bright yellow undershirt overlaid by a multicolored button up sweater whose arms were different lengths. His socks, which were his favorite article of clothing, were always mis- matched. His left sock faded from dark green at the toe to light green at the top, with orange puffs for each toe. His right featured a shooting star pattern with tassels that swayed from the top.  
  
"What is this Dobby?" Harry indicated the book.  
  
"Mr. Harry Potter sir wanted to know about ghosts at Hogwarts and Dobby found a book to help." Harry read the faded title on the book but had to squint his eyes several times to manage it.  
  
"History of Kalla Island. What does that have to do with it?" Harry asked his diminutive friend but Dobby had gone. "Let's check this out and read it tonight. We have to get to Transfiguration. We don't want to be late for Professor McGonagall's class."  
  
When they checked out the book Madame Pince eyed them suspiciously. Even her sharp eyes had difficulty reading the title and as they walked away with the book they could still feel her stare.  
  
*****  
  
"Today, we will be reviewing everything I'm sure you have forgotten during the last two months away from us," Professor McGonagall started straight into her lesson. "I have set up in the back of the classroom several challenges of increasing complexity. Each of you are to complete as many tasks as you can. You will be graded on your highest completed station. While you are waiting for your turn, please turn to page three in your book and paraphrase the first four paragraphs." The class began to work quietly. Harry and Ron were the third team to try their hand at the tasks.  
  
First, they had to turn a metal bowl into a hat. Ron managed a bowler and Harry's had a feather on one side. They noticed Hermione however, had transfigured hers into a wide brimmed felt gangster hat which she was wearing a few stations ahead of them.  
  
The next two stations were fairly simple. They just had to change a stick into a candle, then a plank of driftwood into a picture frame. But when it came to turning glass beads into a water pitcher Harry, trying to copy Hermione's that was shaped like a chicken, could not keep it together and shattered glass against the back wall. Ron couldn't do the next station, turning an apple into an orange, so he was done too.  
  
When they got back to their seats relieved that it was over, Harry noticed that Hermione had already finished the assignment and was reading the 'History of Kalla Island'. After the lesson all the Gryffindor students hiked the stairs to their common room.  
  
"So what did the book say?" Harry asked Hermione as the three of them found seats apart from the other students.  
  
"More than I thought it would."  
  
"Details would be helpful." Harry couldn't contain his sarcasm.  
  
"Kalla Island was thought to exist off the coast of Scotland."  
  
"Thought to exist," Ron repeated with raised eyebrows.  
  
"Let me finish. Most of the book was irrelevant, just odd recordings of each of the High Ladies. A lot of personal feelings and where to find flowers and herbs on the island. It was not even complete. Then toward the end it got really interesting. A Baron McBanney was sent to bring the natives who lived there under British law, but never returned alive. It says in here that he murdered the woman who ruled the island. He was struck down by a small band of witches and in trying to save his life killed a unicorn but died before he could drink the blood. He was a notorious leader of ghosts there. Kalla Island was home to the largest population of Unicorns, Phoenix, and Golden Snidget Birds, predecessor to the Golden Snitch, in the world. One of the Queens took a census of all the occupants on the island. And this part was the most interesting, she recorded that there were more ghosts than people living there."  
  
"That is one odd island." Harry said.  
  
"And cold, imagine bumping into ghosts everywhere you go," Ron added.  
  
"So, do you think that this Baron McBanney is the Bloody Baron?" Harry asked.  
  
"Could be." Hermione answered solemnly.  
  
"Maybe then Morgain is not related to the Bloody Baron but from Kalla Island," offered Ron.  
  
"That would be difficult," Hermione was flipping through the book. "It says here that the island disappeared and is thought to have been swallowed up by the sea."  
  
"Who knows what could happen. This year we've seen a fairy tale chest deposited in Gringotts and giants who aren't supposed to be in Britain attack our train. My mum was right, these are dangerous times." Ron supposed. Minutes passed slowly as they thought about what was happening in the world around them.  
  
"We had better get to bed. We have Care of Magical Creatures in the morning and it's anybody's guess what Hagrid has in store for us." Hermione cautioned.  
  
"That reminds me," said Harry. "I want to get there a bit early to see Snuffles." Ron and Hermione nodded knowingly and they went up to their rooms.  
  
*****  
  
Harry woke up the next morning before his room mates, eager to start the day. He threw on his clothes and put on his cloak as he ran down the stairs. He was too anxious to eat more than a blueberry muffin before heading out the main doors to Hagrid's hut.  
  
"Hello there Harry," Hagrid's familiar voice called, though Harry could not see him.  
  
"Hi Hagrid." Harry yelled back. "Where are you?"  
  
"Just stay there, I'll find you."  
  
Harry heard rustling in the forest behind Hagrid's hut. Then from between the trees emerged the large form of Hagrid. His hair and beard as wild as ever and over his shoulder he carried an injured wolf.  
  
"That's not a werewolf is it?" Harry asked cautiously. It would not be beyond Hagrid's usual behavior to bring dangerous animals to his Care of Magical Creatures lessons.  
  
"No. This is just a normal wolf. Say, aren't you a bit early for class?"  
  
"Yes, but I was told you have a new dog on the grounds. Snuffles. He and I.." Harry was not sure how to phrase it, "I just wanted to see what you were up to and play with Snuffles, that's all."  
  
"I see." Hagrid smiled and then whistled loudly. Harry saw 'Snuffles' run out from behind the hut and towards Harry. "That dog sure likes you."  
  
"I like him too." Harry responded while being tackled and licked by the giant dog. Harry and Snuffles ran back behind Hagrid's hut and sat to talk.  
  
"Snuffles.can you understand me as a dog?" Harry asked. Snuffles nodded.  
  
"There are a lot of odd things going on, and I'm not sure where to begin." Snuffles urged him on with a wink. "First of all there is this girl named." but Harry could not finish his story because Hagrid's footsteps could be heard coming around the corner. He was not alone either. Dumbledore was with him.  
  
"Here they are professor. I best be getting back to that wolf. Bad shape she's in." Hagrid left the three of them alone.  
  
Dumbledore knelt beside Harry and the dog and spoke quietly to them both. "Sirius, Harry. I have important news for you. Remus Lupin and Madame Maxime have returned with their recruits and will be stationed outside Hogsmeade. I need you Sirius to help the villagers remain calm and to bring messages from Remus."  
  
"Recruits?" Harry inquired.  
  
"Giants, those few who were kind enough to forgive wizards and help our cause. The villagers aren't too amenable to the idea yet, but we need them." Dumbledore confided. "Please, don't mention it to anyone in the school yet. Not even Ron and Hermione."  
  
"OK." Snuffles sat close to Harry and leaned his head on Harry's shoulder whining softly.  
  
"Don't worry" Dumbledore added. "Harry will be too busy to get into trouble this year.won't you?" Harry recognized this statement more as a directive from Dumbledore than reassurance to Sirius.  
  
"Yes, far to busy. Especially when Quidditch practice starts next week." Harry threw in while scratching Snuffles behind the ears. The three of them heard the Gryffindor and Slytherin students gathering around the front of the hut. After a quick hug Snuffles left in the direction of Hogsmeade and Dumbledore accompanied by Harry joined them.  
  
"I expect you all to pay close attention to your class today. I have great interest in your next few lessons," Dumbledore addressed the students and then returned to the castle.  
  
"Potter," Draco Malfoy spat. "What were you and Dumbledore doing in the forest? Trying to make yourself a hero again this year, and only on the second day." The Slytherins around Draco laughed. "Teachers pet." Harry ignored his taunts, as he knew any response would be twisted by Draco and used against him. Although thinking of Draco as the 'amazing bouncing ferret' from last year helped steel his resolve.  
  
"Alright class," Hagrid began. "Gather round here." In the center of the circle lay the wolf Hagrid brought from the forest and a small mound hidden by a cloth. "What we have here is an innocent animal severely wounded. Her cubs aren't ready for life on their own and will probably die if she does."  
  
"What did this to her," Lavender Brown asked.  
  
"Truth be told, I can't say for sure. Just found her like this with her cubs all 'round. Dumbledore suggested she would make a great lesson right off the bat. But let's do this quick because the trance she's under to dull the pain will wear off soon."  
  
"What do we do?"  
  
"Name the quickest way to healing her." Ideas shot out from all over the class. "Dandelion root mixed with Mandrake juice," "Jurray juice," "lavender oil." It was a while until they found the answer Hagrid was waiting for.  
  
"Phoenix tears," came a call from the back.  
  
"That's it," Hagrid clapped. He unveiled the blanketed mound in the middle of the circle. It was Fawkes, Dumbledore's pet phoenix in her cage. Hagrid opened the door and pointed toward the wounded wolf. Fawkes soared out and landed next to the animal.  
  
Harry remembered the warmth in those tears when Fawkes had cried on his own lethal injuries years before. In front of their eyes the abrasions healed and the wolf, revived, struggled to stand. Hagrid reached deep into his pockets and extracted three cubs and put them before her. The cubs nuzzled against their mother and together they all ran back into the forest.  
  
"Phoenix tears are a very important part of magical healing," Hagrid told them as he began the discussion of all the uses of Phoenix tears. 


	8. Potions and Problems

"That was great. We did not even come close to losing fingers this time. What have we got next," Hermione asked while pulling out her schedule.  
  
Harry didn't have to look at his to tell her because this was the class he'd been dreading. "Potions."  
  
"We even have to walk there with the Slytherins" Ron was looking at how much bigger all have them had gotten over the summer.  
  
They entered the castle and began the descent to the dungeon that would be their classroom. Once they got there Harry, Ron and Hermione huddled around the cauldron furthest from Snape's desk.  
  
Snape had hated James, Harry's father, when they went to school together. Harry had no doubt that hatred had festered and fermented into an emotion even more intense which Snape now held against him. Harry similarly disliked Snape and wanted to give no excuse Snape could use to punish him. As only two could fit around a cauldron Harry looked around to see who else did not have a partner. To his amazement and delight Morgain sat in the next seat over.  
  
Before Snape arrived he said to Ron, "You two be partners today, I'm going to see if Morgain needs one." Harry slid near Morgain.  
  
"Can I be your partner?" He asked.  
  
"If you wish," she answered without looking up.  
  
"I hope you didn't think I was rude yesterday."  
  
"No, you can ask whatever you like," she smiled and looked up at him, "I just reserve the right not to answer."  
  
Harry smiled back. Just then the door burst open and Snape walked to the front of the class. Snape was in the habit of beginning his classes by laying down several ground rules. In this he was comparable to Professor McGonagall, but that was where the similarities ended. While McGonagall controlled her classes with respect and discipline, Snape did so with fear. Harry braced himself for the humiliation that was usually heaped on him in this class. When Snape began though, it had nothing to do with Harry.  
  
"We have in our midst someone who, with no prior education, believes she is capable of skipping the last four years in which the rest of you have learned so much and begin in fifth year potions." Snape began to walk toward Harry's desk. Harry knew Snape was talking about Morgain and as he looked at her no trace of the smile they had just shared remained on her face.  
  
Snape continued, "I objected to her slowing the rest of you down but she insists that she knows everything. That is even more bigheaded than Miss. Granger, pride that will get her in trouble some day." Snape was now bearing down directly on Morgain. "I think we need to test these so called skills through the next few classes to see if she can cut it. If not, there is no shame in leaving us and returning where you belong with the first years, is there Miss. Morgain."  
  
The entire class was now facing her, but she had adopted the posture in which Harry had first seen her, head bowed staring at her hands in her lap. "I have here a written exam which you will take during the first portion of the class. I will grade it and we will all go over your answers by the end of this lesson, agreed." Snape's voice acquired a slippery tone and Harry was sure that the test was full of trick questions. Morgain just nodded and accepted the parchment.  
  
"Now then" Snape began his lesson. "If you will turn in your books to page fourteen.we will dive straight into Illumination Liquids. The light given from this potion not only allows its user heatless, transportable radiance of any color but can show things in their true light."  
  
Even though the potion sounded interesting the lecture was long, boring and incredibly more complicated than necessary. Draco kept snickering in the corner and Harry got the distinct impression that Snape was talking over everyone's head in an attempt to discourage Morgain. She, on the other hand, seemed completely un-phased and in addition to taking the test stopped from time to time to write notes on the lecture.  
  
"Now, let's see that put into action while I grade Morgain's test. I trust you have finished." He took the papers she had been writing on but found them to be the notes from the class.  
  
"Here is the quiz professor," she pulled it out from under her other notes. Snape pulled the paper away and returned to his desk at the front of the room. Harry began working on the illumination liquid.  
  
"Harry, the lace leaves need to be shredded a bit finer than that so they can dissolve properly," Morgain suggested and came over to help.  
  
"I know Snape can be tough," Harry offered in consolation. "It's usually me he is publicly ridiculing. I'm sorry he's on your case though."  
  
"Is that what you think he was doing? If he reacted any less severely I would have been surprised. He can't hurt me unless I give him permission so it doesn't matter what he says or makes me do. I can meet the challenge as he will soon know. But, if it takes him, how did you say it, 'off your case' then that is a good thing."  
  
Harry smiled and they worked together until Snape interrupted again, "Potter!" Snape roared to the back of the room until he was standing over both of them. "Did you help her cheat?"  
  
"I did no such thing." The entire class was looking at him now.  
  
"We shall see." Snape retrieved a jar of iridescent blue Illumination Liquid from beneath his robes and escorted Morgain to the front of the classroom. With her back turned to the class Snape held the light up to her face. Snape's own facial features dropped their smug smirk and the jar in his hand slipped and shattered on the cold stone floor. Snape stood motionless for a moment while Morgain calmly returned to her seat at the back of the class.  
  
"What happened," Harry asked Morgain while Snape stared unbelievingly at her.  
  
"Now he knows I didn't cheat," was her only reply as she resumed shredding the leaves.  
  
*****  
  
"That smells great," Ron called from behind Harry and Morgain. "I wonder what is for lunch, what's the hold up?" The students surrounding the doors to the dining hall had stopped and no one was quite sure why.  
  
"I bet it's Peeves," was Harry's theory. "Probably stuck the door shut."  
  
"This was not Peeves," Morgain said knowingly.  
  
"That reminds me. If I ask why Peeves would bow to you, would you answer that question?"  
  
"No," but she smiled when she said it. "Let's go up to the common room. I have some food there that will get us through till the next class." She motioned to Ron and Hermione as well.  
  
As the four of them left the tumultuous crowd below, they heard a loud bang behind them. Harry turned and saw the doors had opened and students were flowing into the great hall but then a path opened through the middle of the crowd. Students appeared to be swept from side to side and a hush fell over them all. The Minister of Magic, Cornelius Fudge in his pinstriped cloak, accompanied by at least ten members of the ministry marched through the crowd and out the front doors.  
  
Harry followed the other students in and saw Dumbledore seated at the teachers table and the food on the dishes beside him disappear. Harry took a bowl of beef stew and corn bread to his table where he was soon joined by Ron and Hermione.  
  
"Where's Morgain?" Harry asked his friends.  
  
"She kept going up the stairs," Hermione answered.  
  
Harry stared at Dumbledore still sitting in his chair in deep reflection. I wonder what the Minister and all those others were doing here Harry thought while eating his soup. Dumbledore rose and left through the small door behind the teachers table that Harry knew led to a quiet sitting room.  
  
"We have charms next," Hermione announced while pulling out her book for the class.  
  
"Hermione, did you finish reading up on that Illumination Liquid we started in potions." Harry asked.  
  
"Just about, why?"  
  
"I wonder what Snape saw in Morgain when he held the light up to her."  
  
"Did you notice how Snape's potion was blue, and the one we are making is green?"  
  
"Yes," Harry remembered.  
  
"Different colors have varying purposes. That particular blue is one of the hardest to make and takes two months to prepare accurately but it can act almost like truth serum. It showed Snape the true nature of Morgain."  
  
"All she said when she came back was that now Snape knew she didn't cheat. How could it show her as a non-cheater?" Harry asked.  
  
"I have no idea."  
  
Charms was, as usual, a very fascinating class. Combined with the Hufflepuffs tiny Professor Flitwick reviewed skills they may have forgotten over the summer by calling out names of spells and having students perform them at random.  
  
Harry was asked to do a repelling charm, which he had been quite good at. Though in his over-enthusiasm he not only sent the pillow he was aiming at sailing across the room but also the leather change bag Harry had in his pocket. Coins spilled everywhere but Harry used a summoning charm to retrieve them. They all came soaring through the air back to his hand, except one. The coin he had received in the mail.  
  
"Accio coin," Harry called a bit more forcefully, but the coin stubbornly lay on the floor.  
  
"Nice try Mr. Potter. You will have to work a bit on control." Prof. Flitwick noted. Harry walked across the room and picked up the defiant coin and returned it to his money bag.  
  
The class continued on but Harry could not help but wonder why the coin had been rebellious to command. He was quite well known for his summoning charm from the time he called his broomstick from his bed in the castle to the field during the tri-wizard tournament. Harry brought out the coin and turned it over in his hand. It felt strangely warm. He set it on the end of his desk and whispered, "accio coin" to call it to his hand, but again the coin lay still. Harry reached to pick it up but was so hot that upon approach it nearly burned him.  
  
Harry watched Professor Flitwick demonstrate the proper technique for fine tuning the force of summoning/repelling charms to the whole class as many others had difficulty controlling these types of spells. By the end of class the coin had cooled down and Harry replaced it in his pocket.  
  
That night Harry sat on his bed looking at the pictures of his parents. Almost absentmindedly he took out the coin and turned it over and over again. What type of thing didn't respond to magic, he thought.  
  
He found much joy in looking at his smiling parents. They waved at him from the book. He especially liked pictures in which all three of them were together, as a family. Harry turned near the back of the book and found a picture of himself, taking very wobbly first steps from his mother to the outstretched arms of his waiting father.  
  
He didn't often look at this particular picture as it so graphically reminded him of what he no longer had. He looked at the home that had been his. The furnishings were so comfy looking. The kitchen table in the background was strewn with scrolls and quills. Harry liked to imagine his parents working at home but having dropped everything to see him take his first steps. But while that thought floated warmly through his mind, his eyes took a double take. On the table, in the midst of all the papers was a chest, very similar to the one Genevieve had placed in the Weasley's care.  
  
He turned to Ron to show him but found him already asleep. Harry thought, 'I'll just have to tell him in the morning' and placed the book back on his bedside table. Harry then turned his attention to the coin.  
  
"What are you" he asked it out loud. Then, just for fun he flipped it high into the air and called "Heads." He prepared to catch it, but the coin didn't come down. It floated in the air still spinning at the apex of its arc high above Harry's head. Then from it came a loud noise which Harry only recognized as music after a few bars.  
  
Instantly Ron, Seamus, Dean and Neville were sitting up in their beds and Harry jumped on his bed to try and reach the coin. It took a few tries and by the time he succeeded Harry could hear Fred and George among the throng of people wondering what happened.  
  
Perhaps I could just pretend I don't know what happened either, Harry thought. But Neville was soon asking him why he had been jumping on his bed. It didn't take long for Professor McGonagall to come in wearing a plaid dressing gown and cap and begin asking questions.  
  
"I heard someone asking Harry about jumping on his bed," Colin Creevey, a fourth year admirer of Harry's informed the Professor.  
  
Harry let out a deep sigh as he saw McGonagall approach him on the stairs. "A few of your fellow students seem to think you are responsible for disturbing their rest, Mr. Potter. Do you know what happened?"  
  
Harry knew it was no use lying to Professor McGonagall, "Yes."  
  
"Follow me then."  
  
McGonagall turned and walked down the stairs and out the portrait hole. Harry passed through the crowd of students still clinging to the coin.  
  
"I'm sorry Professor. I didn't know it was anything other than a coin." Harry explained.  
  
"You say you got this by owl on your first day," McGonagall looked at both sides of the coin.  
  
"Yes. I flipped it in the air and then it made some sort of music."  
  
"I see." Professor McGonagall couldn't take her eyes off it. "It looks so familiar but I can't seem to remember where I've seen one of these before." Harry was quite relieved because her interest in the coin seemed to have distracted her from punishing him. The door behind Harry pushed open slowly and Dumbledore entered. "Dumbledore, I did not expect to see you. Did the noise wake you up too?" Dressed in a long blue nightgown and matching tasseled cap, it was obvious it had.  
  
"What created such a disturbance, Minerva?"  
  
"This coin was sent to Mr. Potter and the noise you heard started when he flipped it." Dumbledore took the coin from McGonagall and his eyes grew wide when he saw the imprint on both sides.  
  
"You recognize it then. I could not quite place it in my memory." Dumbledore turned to Harry, "Have you any idea where this came from?"  
  
"No."  
  
"Did you see what type of owl brought it?"  
  
"A hawk owl I believe."  
  
Dumbledore looked at the coin again, then placing it on his thumb and forefinger flipped it a few inches into the air. This time the noise was easily recognizable as music because its volume was less intense. In fact, Harry thought, it was quite a lovely melody and of such great quality one would almost expect to turn and see the performer in the room. Dumbledore let it play for a few minutes and Harry believed the instrument sounded like a cross between a piano and a harpsichord. The song came to a close followed by recorded applause. That was when the voice began.  
  
"Thank you, thank you," it said and Harry recognized the voice instantly. "My lovely wife Lily will be singing along with my next piece, entitled Wedding Day." The music started again and as Harry's mother sang so beautifully a tear escaped his eye. The song was short but powerful and when it ended Lily spoke.  
  
"Did you get all that Genevieve?"  
  
"Yes." Then the disk stopped spinning and fell to the ground with a clatter.  
  
Dumbledore looked kindly at Harry who had brought up his feet and held onto his knees while leaning in the corner of the wing backed chair,  
  
"Your parents were very talented Harry." Silence pervaded the scene. "Minerva, would you leave us alone for a moment?"  
  
"Of course," she replied as she left her office. Dumbledore picked up the coin and pulled a chair to face opposite Harry. He looked like he had more than a few questions for his young pupil, but it was Harry who spoke first.  
  
"My Mum mentioned a Genevieve. Who is she?"  
  
Dumbledore sighed slowly and sank deep into his chair before answering. "She and her parents were great friends to the Potters, and Lily after James married her. They were killed just after you were born." Dumbledore paused. ".accused of being spies for Voldemort. Why do you ask?"  
  
An internal struggle raged inside Harry of whether or not to tell Dumbledore what he knew. But Harry decided he had to tell. "Professor Dumbledore, I have met Genevieve. She came to the Dursley's over the summer and brought me to the Weasley's." Dumbledore listened to Harry patiently as he recounted the story from the beginning until he reached the point of the story where, "she said Voldemort was coming, but not to tell anyone about her having been there."  
  
"If anyone could have survived it would have been her. Is that the only time you've seen her?" Dumbledore asked.  
  
"Well, we ran into each other in Diagon Alley and talked for a while."  
  
"Concerning what."  
  
This was where the real quandary reached it apex and as Harry was so sure Genevieve did not really want to kill him, he explained about Genevieve's stolen child but left out the attempt on his life.  
  
"Do you think it was Genevieve who sent the coin Professor?"  
  
"She is on a short list of people who could." Dumbledore looked again, this time admiringly at the coin in his hand. "Your parents and hers spent most of their lives developing these. But it was Genevieve who finally figured it out."  
  
"How does it work?"  
  
"The creation of them is the real trick. Once they have been recorded they are activated just by flipping them as you saw. The further from the ground the louder the volume. You must have flipped it pretty high." Harry nodded.  
  
"So it's a wizard's version of muggle CD's?" Then Harry added, "Recorded music played by machines," because few wizards would be familiar with the device.  
  
"Not entirely. These can capture a bit more than music and voice but we will have time to go into that later. Harry, would you be interested in a class, once a week in place of one of your Divination lessons?"  
  
"What type of class?"  
  
"One that is suited for your special talents."  
  
"That sounds intriguing."  
  
"Next Monday during that period meet me in the Great Hall and we will begin." Harry and Dumbledore walked to the door.  
  
"Was there a note with the coin?" Dumbledore asked as they entered the corridor.  
  
"It only said to keep that safe until they returned for it Professor."  
  
"Then you must do just that." Dumbledore placed the coin in Harry's palm and shut his fingers around it. "Keep it with you always." As they turned their separate ways Dumbledore called to Harry, "Mr. Potter. If you are going to play it again, I suggest doing so much lower."  
  
Disclaimer: Still JKR's. 


	9. Class and Quidditch

On Monday, Harry held back after lunch while Ron went to Divination and Hermione left for the library. Being alone in such a vast room only made it feel even more so. Harry studied the ceiling while he waited, which portrayed the sky outside. Gray clouds drifted by but none of them threatened rain. The door behind the teachers table opened.  
  
"We will be starting in here Harry," Dumbledore went back into the sitting room. Harry followed and the paintings on the walls pointed at him. Last year they had witnessed Harry's appointment as fourth Tri-Wizard tournament champion and seemed anxious to know what he was up to now. Dumbledore took a seat by the fireplace opposite four smaller and partially occupied chairs.  
  
"I believe you already know each other," Dumbledore began while Harry sat down.  
  
"Just for sake of formality, each of you please introduce yourselves." A small figure emerged from the furthest chair from Harry.  
  
"My name is Cho Chang from Ravenclaw house." Harry's throat instantly acquired a lump. Cho had been Cedric Digory's girlfriend but someone Harry had strong feelings for. The next student stood.  
  
"Neville Longbottom here," he waived at Harry.  
  
"Morgain." She seemed to almost materialize out of the chair. Once sitting again she looked at Harry as a cue for him to stand.  
  
"Harry Potter of Gryffindor."  
  
"Now that we are introduced let me explain why each of you is here. You have abilities, perhaps even beyond your knowledge that need to be harnessed. Ordinarily these skills would not even be addressed because there is no need, but a certain artifact has reached this school that makes this class imperative. But let us start with a history lesson Professor Binns would never teach you."  
  
Cho and Morgain pulled out parchment and quills so Harry and Neville did so too. Harry wondered if the artifact Dumbledore referred to was the coin in his pocket.  
  
Dumbledore continued his lecture, "Between two and three thousand years ago, wizardry was not as common as it is today. Nor was it as simple to perform. This was a time before wands were widespread and magic was taught and guarded within each clan. During this period of history magic mostly rested on potion making and harnessing and focusing the energy within themselves, which took severe concentration. Even those born magic often never developed the skills or stamina necessary to use their powers, but those who did became great. Today that power is called Old Magic." Dumbledore paused and took a drink of water while Harry and the others scribbled their notes.  
  
"We can be sure of very little that occurred during that time period because few records were kept and those that were are written in codes. From what we do know their abilities far exceeded our modern craft, which has made deciphering the codes the dream of many scholars. Another reason I have brought you together is because each of your parents were associated with the quest for Old Magic and on occasion suffered dearly for it."  
  
Harry put down his quill and stared at Dumbledore. It had never occurred to him to ask what his parents did for a living until this moment. Was it their occupation, this 'quest' they died for?  
  
"After the general distribution of wands, standardized magical devices and such, reliance on the Old Magic faded, as did most of those who practiced it. You see, it is far easier to let the wand focus the magic within a person than to do so with pure mind power. These advances are now so heavily relied upon most people believe it is the wand or memorized words that activate magic. In actuality the magic comes from inside and manifests itself best when one has control over their thoughts and emotions. The intent and force from the witch or wizard is what produces magic. Harry, may I see your coin?"  
  
Harry handed Dumbledore the music making coin. Dumbledore flipped it as he had before but stopped it before James introduced Lily.  
  
"This is a remarkable reproduction of one of the most sought after artifacts of Old Magic. Just as these portraits depict the personality of their subjects.," Dumbledore indicated the many frames on the wall and their occupants appeared pleased to be included in the lesson. ".this disk has captured the original energy behind the music. The ramifications of which are very serious. Should someone record a spell and play this in conjunction to a wand it would create, in essence, a self-spelling wand. Any creature capable of pointing a stick could then be armed with the most dangerous of enchantments. It was for this reason research into the creation of the coins ceased and most of the records and coins destroyed. I only know of one person alive proficient enough at making and concealing these coins who could have sent this to Harry. She goes by the name of Genevieve."  
  
At the mention of that name Morgain suddenly stopped writing and sharply turned her face toward Dumbledore. Apparently only Harry had noticed the reaction because Dumbledore calmly continued.  
  
"That is about all we have time for today. Your assignment is to learn well what I have told you today and to familiarize yourself with these." Dumbledore stood and handed each of them a roll of parchment. The few inches on the end Harry could see was littered with pictures and symbols he didn't recognize.  
  
*****  
  
Harry didn't have a chance to talk with Hermione and Ron until after Quidditch practice that evening, although by that time not only was he mentally exhausted from the day, but physically fatigued from practice. When he collapsed into a chair Hermione left her piles of homework to sit by him.  
  
"What did Dumbledore say?" Hermione asked curiously.  
  
"He gave us a lecture on something he called Old Magic."  
  
"Us, who else was there?" Hermione was visibly upset about being left out of such a great learning opportunity.  
  
"Cho Chang, Morgain and Neville." Harry answered.  
  
"Neville got to be in a private lesson with Dumbledore and ..." Her jealousy was so apparent even Ron spotted it from across the room.  
  
"Calm down Hermione. He said we were there because of stuff our parents did with Old Magic and the only reason he is even addressing these issues is because Genevieve sent that coin."  
  
"Oh." Her exclusion somewhat excused she cooled off a bit. "Does he really think that it was Genevieve who sent it too you?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Well then, you had better go to the fireplace. An owl has been waiting for you and it has a package like before." Harry took the small package from a hawk owl sitting on the mantle. When Harry opened the window to let it out he was met with shouts from his house mates to close the window. The air certainly was getting cooler these days.  
  
Harry returned to his friends and unwrapped the package. This time he found the note first. It read simply 'take care' but even that was difficult to read the penmanship appeared so rushed. Harry walked to the furthest corner and got down on his hands and knees. Hermione and Ron looked curiously at him but also crouched low. Harry flipped it only inches from the floor and this time it was his mother who spoke first.  
  
"This is trial number 3 for the disks. Today we are testing length capabilities, but we may as well make it fun to listen to the second time around so James is going to play for us some of his favorite pieces on the hammer dulcimer." After that a jovial tune picked through the air. Harry let it play for a few minutes before he noticed that he was being watched.  
  
Morgain sat surveying them bent with their ears toward the floating spinning coin. Harry noticed that she had open before her the scroll Dumbledore had given her.  
  
Between classes and Quidditch practice Harry lacked time for anything else, for which he was grateful because it meant he did not lie to Sirius. He had somehow managed to keep his grades up and when it was time their first match against Hufflepuff he felt ready. While in the locker room before the game Angelina, who had taken the roll of captain addressed them all.  
  
"We have been flying great this year, but I don't want the trophy we won last time to weigh you down. This is a new beginning for us and as a team we contain every quality needed for victory. Let's show them how the game is played."  
  
"Hurrah," the team shouted and walked out onto the field, their scarlet robes flicking in the wind.  
  
Harry looked into the stands and saw Ron and Hermione cheering him on, standing besides Viktor Krum. Krum looked small next to Hagrid, who waived at Harry. After the balls were released and the teams shot into flight mayhem ensued and no one was quite sure what happened. Not even Lee Jordan who was announcing the game. Before Harry could even get above the game to look for the snitch the game was over. From what they sorted out later the snitch had flown away from the rising players straight past the Hufflepuff seeker, who in a moment of quick reflexes snatched it out of the air. Admittedly , most players and spectators were disappointed by the briefness of the game. But the Hufflepuffs could not have been more pleased.  
  
"We Won", they shouted with joy while flying around the field. Harry was still flabbergasted.  
  
"We lost. Three seconds into the game and we lose". He and his teammates went up to the common room sulking, their uniforms still clean from lack of play.  
  
Authors note.yes, I know my Quidditch game was well, a cop out, but hey it's there and I promise more excitement later to make up for it. By the way, Harry Potter and its cannon characters are still not mine no matter how many times I wish on a star, so don't sue me. 


	10. Study Groups and Giants

During Herbology a weak later Harry was surprised to see Cho walking purposely toward him. Harry stopped what he was doing to admire her, but caught himself before he crossed the line to staring.  
  
"We have to meet tonight Harry." Harry felt a jolt of exhilaration. Was she asking him out? "I've cleared everything with Neville and Morgain; we can meet in the library, and bring the scroll Dumbledore gave you." Harry's first thought was of a double date, but the serious look on Cho's face quickly dissolved that idea.  
  
"Did you find something in the scroll?" Asked Harry.  
  
"Not yet, but it's about time we did so Morgain suggested we work together on it. We're going to be in the library at 6:00 and Madame Pince said we can use one of the workrooms off the library until 8:30. That should give us a good start."  
  
"I'll be there." Harry tried to hide the nervous enthusiasm in his voice. Ron, who had over heard the conversation, gave him the thumbs up. He knew this was just the chance Harry had been waiting for to talk to Cho.  
  
That night Harry left dinner early and spent 20 minutes trying to comb his hair though didn't make much difference in his thick mop anyway. He walked to the library at 5:30 thinking he would be first there and may have a chance to talk to Cho. As it turned out, Neville, Morgain and Cho had just arrived together so they started early. Cho spread out her scroll on the desk in the quiet workroom. Harry helped her keep it open by placing his books on the corners. Cho took charge right from the start.  
  
"Alright, have any of you deciphered anything so far?"  
  
"My scroll is difference than this," Neville announced. He unrolled his next to Cho's and they could see the variations quite clearly. Morgain and Harry also rolled theirs out, so the entire table was now covered in papers and books holding them open.  
  
"I thought Dumbledore gave us each the same one," Cho stared at them in amazement.  
  
"So, what have you noticed about yours Neville."  
  
"I thought some of these looked like plants, rough drawings of a type of fern." He pointed to an outline in the corner, except for the fact that their were curly vines and fruits coming out of one side and geometric shapes inside the sketch it did oddly enough look like a fern.  
  
"And you Morgain?" Cho asked. Harry noticed that as Cho spoke the spark and spontaneity he had once admired in her had diminished.  
  
"I saw a pattern of spheres in mine, just here. But I don't know what they mean." Harry spoke up before Cho could call on him.  
  
"I don't know what mine means either but there are more spheres here, except the way they are drawn." Harry looked more closely at them, "they look more like the spinning coins I have."  
  
"Really," everyone looked closely to where Harry pointed.  
  
"I see it," Morgain was intensely fascinated. "There's the disk, and the rest of the sphere is blurry to indicate motion. Harry, do you have any of those coins here."  
  
"Yes." Harry took one of the coins out of his change pouch and flipped it over the drawings. Each person let out a disappointed sigh as nothing happened besides the room being filled with the now familiar gentle music Harry's parents played. Harry caught the coin in mid-air and noticed it had grown warm again, just as it had when he tried to summon it. After bandying ideas back and forth for another hour, they were not any closer to deciphering the scrolls than when they started.  
  
Cho seemed the most disappointed and stayed behind after the other left. He hunched over her scroll gently pulling on the hair by her temples. Harry went back to talk to her.  
  
"Cheer up Cho. Our parents studied these things for years and probably couldn't figure them out either."  
  
"You are right Harry," she heaved a sigh, but it did not brighten her countenance at all.  
  
"Why would Dumbledore give these to us? It's almost as though he expects us to pick up where our parents left off, but I have no clue where to begin." She began to cry. Now Harry really didn't know what to do.  
  
"Everything will be alright Cho. Dumbledore only wanted us to familiarize ourselves with these, maybe he'll show us how to read them next time, but he wanted us to try first." He was now grasping at straws as Cho's tears escalated. Between the squeaks and sobbing Harry could barely understand her.  
  
"But what if .. getting past the Death Eaters ..next time is dependant on us..what would Cedric do?" ... She had said the one name that explained these emotions.  
  
"This isn't really about the scrolls is it Cho," Harry asked gently. "It's about Cedric and me and what happened last year." Cho's tear stained face held a look of recognition as Harry had reached the true heart of the matter.  
  
"I miss him so much," she sobbed. "I can't find joy in the things we used to do together, study, play games. Not even Quidditch so I dropped myself from the team. I feel like there is a Dementor following me everywhere," she divulged openly. Harry searched for words.  
  
"If there was a Dementor here I'd know about it," was all Harry could think to say. Cho just continued crying while Harry tried to be encouraging. "Cho, you're one of the best seekers around, you can't quit the game." Nothing he said could cheer her up and eventually she asked him to leave her alone. He left the library reluctantly and made his way back slowly to the common room.  
  
Hermione was hidden in the corner of the common room behind a stack of books as usual when Harry approached her.  
  
"Hermione, I need a girl's opinion."  
  
"Nice to know you finally think of me as a girl," Hermione responded dripping with sarcasm. "What do you want to know?"  
  
"Cho is really depressed. I think it's because of what happened to Cedric last year. I want to help her because she's so miserable. She's stopped doing things she likes and even given up Quidditch."  
  
"Quidditch is not the end all and be all of everything you know Harry." Some of the sarcasm lingered, but it faded as she continued. "All you can do Harry is be her friend. She has a reason to be sad and you can't fix it for her."  
  
"Thanks I guess." Harry left his friend and went straight to his room to do his homework alone.  
  
*****  
  
During the next week Harry studied mostly in his dorm rather than in the common room. He enjoyed the privacy given so much of his days were crowed with people. He also liked to play music softly in these solitary moments, and he found the gentle melodies prepared his mind for the task of studying. He missed Sirius and wondered if he was staying warm as the nights grew so cold. Pulling out blank parchment Harry decided to write him a letter but wasn't sure how to address it. He was also unsure about including too many details in his letter for fear it may be intercepted revealing their secret. After several drafts he finally decided to whom he could address it and that he would be as ambiguous as possible.  
  
Dear Professor Lupin, Would you please read this letter to Snuffles.  
  
I'm staying out of trouble like I promised. Everything around here is becoming uneventful, so I'm just going to classes all day and studying at night. I may be a bit of a recluse but it's nice to not deal with a lot of people right now. I'd love to tell you a few stories face to face if ever we get the chance. Until then, don't worry about me.  
  
Harry Potter  
  
Harry was on his way through the common room to the owlry when he spotted a sign posted on the bulletin board.  
  
Hogsmeade Visit this Saturday. Those eligible to attend please contact Professor McGonagall.  
  
Harry borrowed a quill from Parvati Patil to add a postscript to his letter. P.S. I'll be in Hogsmeade this Saturday. Please meet me by the Shrieking Shack at noon.  
  
"Here you are girl," he told Hedwig after tying the letter to her foot. He stroked her chest feathers gently while looking into her large yellow eyes. "Please deliver this to Professor Lupin in Hogsmeade. Hedwig's soft, but powerful wings beat around Harry as she took flight. *****  
  
"I am so glad Saturday is finally here," Ron told Hermione while they lined up in the Front Hall awaiting their ride into town. "I've completely run out of sweets and could do with a trip to Honeydukes." He jingled the coins in his pocket excitedly. "Where do you want to go Hermione?"  
  
"I've made a map of the Historical sites we've been studying in History of Magic and a few places my Arithmancy teacher mentioned were worth a look. See, I'll start out here," she pointed on her map to a small museum on the edge of town. "Then I'd like to make my way to the Three Broomsticks for some butterbeer. I could use it by then."  
  
"You'll be on your own for that, I want to get inside the Quidditch supply shop. I hear they've added a whole new section of broomsticks."  
  
"Why don't you go there first and then you can ask Viktor to come join us at the three broomsticks at 12:00. How about that Harry?" Ron groaned at the mention of Viktor Krum. Harry hadn't been paying much attention to their conversation. Rather he was quite anxious for the carriages to get there and was watching for them.  
  
"What was that? Not noon, I've got somewhere to be, how about 11:00?"  
  
"That won't give us much time. What are you doing at 12:00?"  
  
"I have to meet our old friend," and the others understood. Harry looked at Hermione and then over her shoulder. Approaching him was Cho Chang and just when she began to speak the carriages arrived and they were pushed forward by the line of eager of students behind them. Cho, Harry, Ron and Hermione all sat in the same bumpy coach down to the village. Cho, sitting next to Harry leaned to his ear and whispered quietly.  
  
"Thank you for attempting to cheer me up earlier. It was nice of you to try." Harry smiled at her. She smiled back; it had been the one thing he had been waiting for and wanting from her ever since he first saw her. Harry noticed it was not all he had imagined that moment would be. While gracious and heartfelt their shared smile was that of a friend, and Harry now realized that was how it would stay.  
  
When the coach stopped on the edge of town Hermione left to explore historical sites while Ron, Harry and Cho headed straight for the Quidditch supply. As they were among the first to arrive the shop was not yet packed with students. An old man was sweeping the floor in preparation for the students and tipped his hat at them when they entered.  
  
"Wow Harry, check this out," Ron found himself elbow deep in piles of used brooms.  
  
"It's a Nimbus 2000." Harry didn't have to read the tag hanging from the end to know Ron was right. It was an exact copy of his first broom that had served him so well.  
  
"That's great Ron." Cho looked around the room sadly remembering all the times she and Cedric had been here.  
  
"Harry, I'm just going to go. I'll see you around." Cho started for the door. Harry watched her leaving internally kicking himself for being so insensitive.  
  
"Cho Chang" a deep voice called from the other side of the store. Viktor Krum emerged wearing an apron covered in wood shavings and broom polish.  
  
"Viktor Krum," she answered in recognition. Harry wondered to himself where these two had met before. Viktor walked to Cho and whispered something in here ear which, to Harry's surprise, made her giggle.  
  
"I didn't think you would remember that," she said swatting him with her hand.  
  
"How could one forget such a thing? Would you like to see our new shipment of broom polishes? They are in the back, I haven't had a chance to set them out yet."  
  
"I'll help you." Cho offered. Harry stared unbelievingly at Cho, who moments earlier was about to burst into tears. He turned to Ron.  
  
"I don't think I will ever understand women."  
  
"Here here," Ron replied and both of them returned their attention to the Nimbus 2000.  
  
Ron's new broomstick in hand the two of them set out for a quick look about before meeting Hermione in the Three Broomsticks.  
  
"It was so informative, you should have been there," she greeted them at a booth by the window, clinging to a Butterbeer. "I understand now how the Goblin Rebellion of 1102 could not have been quelled as easily as that of 1012 because their forts were better equipped. I see you went to Quidditch Supplies, where's Viktor?"  
  
Harry and Ron stared at one another, each wanting the other to explain. Harry finally bit the bullet and explained everything very cautiously.  
  
"Why shouldn't he be talking to Cho, with as depressed as you told me she was I'm sure it's good for her." She responded serenely to the story.  
  
"So, you're not upset?"  
  
"Why should I be upset?" Hermione asked.  
  
"I..we..weren't sure how serious you two were."  
  
"Serious, as in dating? Oh no. Nothing like that." Harry and Ron were still suspicious of the extraordinarily calm way Hermione was handling this and decided to change the subject.  
  
"What is going on out there?" Harry asked looking out the window. A group of Hogwarts Hufflepuffs were running into town from the direction of the Shrieking shack.  
  
"Let's go check it out." They left their partially drunk Butter beers on the table and fought against wind and students to go towards the Shack which loomed into view.  
  
"Is that what I think it is?" Ron stopped to stare. Hermione also stopped and only Harry pressed forward. The fields a mile beyond the shrieking shack had been uprooted and on them built several huts, though each of them scraped the clouds at over 100 feet high. The land around them had been planted with grain, now cut and bundled in triangle shaped packages, anyone of which rivaled the Hogsmeade stores in height. Inside these partially cleared fields played three children, though none of them were from the village. They were giants, playing tag under the watchful eyes of their parents.  
  
"Harry, come back here," called Hermione while he approached them.  
  
"It's ok. These are good giants." Harry called back. Ron and Hermione ran up behind Harry to pull him back but he just shrugged them off. Ron pleaded with him,  
  
"How many times do I have to tell you Harry, all giants are." but Harry spun around and interrupted him.  
  
"Ron, are all wizards good?"  
  
"No."  
  
"Are all werewolves bad, including Professor Lupin?"  
  
"I guess not, no." Ron looked at the ground. Harry continued.  
  
"Think of Dobby, does every house elf want to have a master, and now Hagrid, can every giant be bad?"  
  
"No, but."  
  
"Not every member of a group is evil or good, giants are just like us.just bigger. Can I borrow your broomstick?" Harry pointed to Ron's new Nimbus 2000.  
  
"What for?" Ron asked in defense of it.  
  
"I want to go talk to the giants and see if I can find Professor Lupin and Snuffles." As Harry mounted Ron's broom Hermione stood in front of him in protest.  
  
"It's almost 12:00, can't you just wait for him here?" Just then a mob of villagers and students advanced on the giant's dwellings, carrying torches and waving wands. Harry flew past Hermione's objections and hovered in front of the crowd, swerving back and forth slowing their progress. Confusion filled the rabble as they shouted at him.  
  
"Get out of the way," "What are you doing," "Who is that."  
  
Once they had come to a complete stop the yelling only got louder until a man's voice silenced them all."  
  
"Good citizen's of Hogsmeade." It said. Though the voice was soft and gentle it pierced each person who heard it to the heart. "You ought to be ashamed of your behavior." A small old man pushed his way through the crowd to the front. His short silver hair reflected a hint of gold from the sun and each person he looked in the eye lowered their gaze. "Didn't we resolve this in the town meetings? The giants are here to help us. What started all this?"  
  
No one wanted to answer at first, then a tall wizard in his late twenties crept forward,  
  
"One of the Hogwarts students was stepped on by the giants." He tried to speak defiantly but could not meet the old man's gaze.  
  
"This mob is more likely to trample a student than the giants. Let us investigate this matter calmly." He looked up at Harry still hovering over the multitude. "You up there, come down here." Harry drifted down and stood face to face with the old man. "I saw what you did to slow down them down, it was dangerous and irresponsible." Hermione heard that and smugly looked at Harry. "But since you weren't killed, would you be willing to fly over that field and see if there is any evidence to support this man's claims."  
  
Harry took off, flying over the fields. After looking everywhere he was grateful for not finding any such evidence. Landing beside the old man again he just shook his head, causing his bangs to part over his scar. Those in the front of the crowd stood back when they recognized him.  
  
"It's Harry Potter," "If Harry Potter says there is nothing there I believe him." The din of the crowd died down as they slowly dispersed. The old man turned toward him admiringly.  
  
"It is quite an honor to meet a young man whose very name inspires people to believe you. What did you do to earn such respect?" Harry looked at him in disbelief, having never met a wizard who didn't know what happened to him fifteen years ago.  
  
"He's Harry Potter sir," Ron stepped in.  
  
"It sounds familiar, but I just can't place my finger on it." The old man smiled at Harry who explained simply.  
  
"It's just for something that happened to me I had no control over, it's not a big deal." Harry smiled back, grateful to have met someone who didn't know about or judge him by his past.  
  
"That is a nasty scratch you have on your forehead, did you get that from the mob?"  
  
"No, but it's why they knew me. You aren't from around here are you?"  
  
"I'm from America, Denver Colorado to be precise. My name is Elden Eldritch. I was asked by a dear friend of mine to act as a mediator between the village and a few of its visitors, including the giants. It's a hot tempered bunch you've got here."  
  
"Who, the giants?" Harry asked.  
  
"No, the wizards. If you and your friends haven't eaten lunch, you may join me."  
  
"Thank you, but no. I'm meeting a friend here soon," Harry pointed toward the Shrieking Shack and realized that Professor Lupin was standing there, the beginning of soft snowflakes falling around him. "It was nice meeting you Mr. Eldritch," Harry shook the old man's hand and then followed Hermione and Ron.  
  
"Hello Professor" Harry greeted pulling his cloak closer around him. "Where is Snuffles?" Harry had grown accustomed to calling his godfather by his canine name.  
  
"He can't meet with you today I'm afraid. Neither can I really. After the giants saw the mob coming after them they are asking to leave. It is up to us to convince them to stay; we really will need them if it comes down to a battle between us and the Death Eaters. I am sorry Harry. Thank you for what you did today, you may have saved these negotiations." Professor Lupin gave him a firm handshake and then walked into the fields, while Ron took back his broomstick.  
  
"Thank goodness it's in one piece."  
  
"With no Whomping Willows around, I can keep any broom in one piece," Harry joked and they laughed all the way back to the Three Broomsticks.  
  
Disclaimer: JKR's creations are fun to play with, but I always put my toys away when I'm through playing with them..well maybe I'll keep Sirius out for a little while longer *sigh*. 


	11. Ghosts of Christmas

Author's Note: Azrael, neena, Lauren, and Rainbow are officially the coolest people on FF.net. Why? Because they reviewed of course! You said you can't wait for the next parts so here they are, just for you. Enjoy. JR  
  
This Christmas break at Hogwarts started out like the last four. The nearly empty dormitories and common room meant freedom hall for noise making and games which was a welcomed break. George, Fred, and Ron were playing a noisy game of Exploding Snap which was probably why they didn't hear the tapping on the window at first. It was the sight of the window that first struck Harry as odd. As he sat in his favorite chair by the fire watching the furious blizzard raging outside he realized the snow had eyes.  
  
"What's that," Harry called to the others who stopped their game in response to the concern in Harry's voice. They all turned to the window and met the gaze of a large bird. Ginny ran to the window and opened it before the others could stop her. Half frozen and shivering a large black bird hopped in, crossed the room and collapsed on the floor by the fire, not seeming to notice the group of people gawking.  
  
Harry was still rooted to his chair and was therefore closest to this odd creature. The room lay as silent as the bird for a few minutes until it turned over to warm its underside. Rainbows of color seemed to glisten from the underside of its twelve foot wingspan, which was when Harry saw the probable purpose for the birds' arrival. Tied to the left leg were several letters bound together, the top one read, "Harry Potter, Gryffindor Tower, Hogwarts."  
  
As soon as the others saw the package the tension eased slightly. But then there was still the matter of removing the letters. The problem being the letters weren't the only things attached to the leg of the bird, giant talons menacingly reflected the light of the fire, clenching and unclenching as the bird slept on.  
  
It was Fred who suggested it was better to get the letters from the bird when it was awake rather than disturb it, and everyone else seemed to think that was a great idea, except Harry. It was his letter and he wanted to read it. He slowly approached the bird but as he did it began to shrink. As though withering away the bird became smaller and smaller then the colors changed. It's once pointed beak gave way to a human face, wings became arms and talons turned to shoes. Harry could see at once it was a woman, but who he couldn't tell until she sat up.  
  
"Genevieve, what..how..huh?" was all Harry could manage to say. Genevieve stood up, still shivering and now limping.  
  
"I must see Dumbledore, where may I find him." It was obvious she wasn't speaking to any person in particular, nor did she realize that Harry was in the room as she stumbled toward the portrait hole. Harry stopped her.  
  
"Your hurt, let me help you. Sit here." Harry offered, though she shrank from his touch.  
  
"No, I need to deliver this before it's too late," she looked up and realized it was Harry. "Oh Dear, good you are still safe. Yes Harry you can help me. Take me to Dumbledore quickly."  
  
Harry had so many questions for Genevieve he wanted to ask, not the least of which being how he was to transport a fully grown woman down the many stairs to the Great Hall where Dumbledore would probably be preparing for the Christmas Feast. She answered his question before he could ask it. With a small sizzling noise she shrank to the floor and became a small owl, the letters still tied to her left leg. Harry picked her up and, followed by Ron, ran down the stairs until he finally reached the Entrance hall.  
  
To Harry's surprise it wasn't Dumbledore there, it was Snape who appeared in a most fearsome manor. Wand raised, poised to pounce he approached Harry who froze, unarmed and helpless. Snape advanced.  
  
"I'm going to kill you this time." Snape and Harry had always had their differences and a general loathing for each other but - kill. Harry's mind was racing on the best course of action when the small owl in his arms took flight and to his astonishment Snape's wand followed the bird, not him. Then there she stood again, Genevieve looking tired.  
  
"Severus, we don't have time for this old thing. I have something for Dumbledore that is very important. You can kill me after but this has to be in his hands quickly. Please."  
  
"I've fallen for that before. I will not let you hurt anyone ever again." Snape retorted spitefully as he raised his wand. There was a burst of light and a sizzle at the same time. Genevieve had avoided Snape's curse by transforming into a hawk. She flew down into the dungeons with Snape close behind.  
  
"We'd better find Dumbledore, quickly," said Ron pulling on Harry's robes. The two of them ran everywhere. He wasn't in the Great Hall, nor was he in any of the classrooms they could see as they ran up and down each corridor.  
  
  
  
They finally came to the stone gargoyle that hid the entrance to Dumbledore's office. What was the password? Harry started reeling off the names of every muggle candy he could think of, knowing that those usually made it on the list of Dumbledore's favorite passwords.  
  
"Bubble Gum, Mars Bars, Kit Kat, oh, what could it be...Gummy worms," the great stone statue hopped aside leaving a hole in the wall leading to a magical stone staircase that purveyed its riders upward with no effort. As Harry and Ron stepped on they saw the Hawk that was Genevieve swoop in before the gargoyle replaced itself.  
  
Ron, having never been to Dumbledore's office, was so taken aback by the moving staircase he didn't notice for a moment that Harry was leaping the stairs two at a time in pursuit of the bird, but quickly followed.  
  
Up they rose until at the top they reached the door leading to the Headmaster's quarters and came face to face with Genevieve again in human form, now banging on the locked door.  
  
When Dumbledore opened the door he probably didn't expect to be trampled upon by his visitors, but that's what happened. Genevieve, now appearing to be more injured, was in a crumpled heap next to Ron who had run into everyone and collapsed himself. It was Harry who had enough composure to speak first.  
  
"Professor, she flew up to our window," he paused to catch his breath, "she said she has something for you." By now all had risen to their feet except Genevieve who was breathing very hard and searching in her bag. She extracted a glass bottle full of an almost neon orange liquid. The sight of this seemed to spark recognition with Dumbledore because he put up his hand to stop Harry from continuing, and then held it out to help Genevieve to her feet.  
  
"Thank you Professor, you are most kind. My message is brief but my package important. I have in my possession someone with whom you may want to have a word." Harry and Ron exchanged glances. They couldn't see anyone else in the room. What did she mean?  
  
Genevieve placed the unfinished potion on Dumbledore's desk and returned to rummaging through her bag. Out of which she pulled a cage, small enough for  
  
"Scabbers" exclaimed Ron out of surprise, "No, I mean, could it be Peter Pettigrew!" Genevieve nodded.  
  
"I deliver the traitor to you; all I ask is that you clear the name of Sirius Black as soon as possible, please. He's been punished enough."  
  
It was at this moment that the door burst open which revealed a seething Snape.  
  
"There you are. Everyone stand back, this ones mine," he said eyes narrowing, wand rising. Genevieve dove into the corner by the window as Dumbledore stepped forward.  
  
"Get out of the way, I don't care what she says, they are all liars and I am within the law to kill her. She never should have come to this school." Harry saw Genevieve sitting on the floor, head buried in her knees.  
  
"I'd rather take my chances with the storm than give you the pleasure of killing the last of us, but for the record, my parents were innocent and I can prove it. Not that a blood thirsty villain like yourself would care for the truth," she stood up on her good leg and began fiddling with the locks on the windows, but they were stuck.  
  
"How can you prove it?" sneered back Snape over the shoulder of Dumbledore. Harry and Ron, who'd stepped back to avoid the mounting tension between these two forces had no idea what was going on, but were keenly curious, and so pulled a reluctant Genevieve off the window ledge and toward the desk.  
  
Reaching into what Harry had come to believe was an endless bag of tricks Genevieve revealed a wand that was unlike any he'd ever seen. Instead of a handle held in the fingertips it had a ball that Genevieve held in her fist, a small jewel barely visible between the pointer and middle fingers replaced the shaft.  
  
She muttered a small word under her breath and pointed the jewel toward her own left foot. The letters, which were still there, unattached themselves, rose up and placed themselves on the desk. Harry could now see to whom the other letters were addressed. One for him, but the others were for Professors Dumbledore, McGonagall, Snape, and Flitwick.  
  
Snape snatched his up from the desk and tore open the envelope. As his eyes scanned the page his face grew white, his knees trembled and he searched with his hand for a chair to sink in, unable to take his eyes off the page. Dumbledore went to his mantle where he took a dash of powder and sprinkled it into the fire calling,  
  
"Minerva . May I see you for a moment." Out of the fire came a festive looking Professor McGonagall, though her cheery countenance changed the moment she saw Genevieve. Dumbledore indicated the letter on the desk addressed to her and as she read it her demeanor mirrored that of Snape.  
  
Harry and Ron were caught in complete bewilderment, so Harry stepped forward to grab the letter addressed to him when Dumbledore stop him by the arm.  
  
"I'm sorry Harry, but you can read this tomorrow. You'll need some background information before any of this will be relevant. Trust me, tomorrow will be much better, for all of us. Would you please escort Genevieve to the infirmary then come to see me at 9:00 in the morning."  
  
"You forget Headmaster; your nurse can to nothing for me. If you'll unlock the window I'll be off," was Genevieve's request though as she walked to the window her wounded leg buckled sending her crashing to the ground. Dumbledore grabbed the potion she'd left on the desk and handed it to her. Drinking it seemed to make her feel better because she got to her feet and could at least support her weight.  
  
"Harry, Ron, Please take her up to Gryffindor tower, she can sleep in one of the empty beds in the girls dormitory." It was this that finally allowed Snape to break his eyes away from the parchment he'd been staring at.  
  
"No, I still won't have one given free access to the castle."  
  
"What would it take to satisfy you Severus?" Dumbledore asked. Snape seemed to think hard about that.  
  
"I have a potion, Stabilizing Solution, which will prevent her kind from transforming, if she takes it she can stay." This outraged Genevieve.  
  
"I'll drink nothing you prepare; I have some of my own thank you." She pulled a bottle out of her bag identical to the first although the liquid was red, screwed off the cap and prepared to drink when Professor Snape took it out of her hand. He examined it up close, sniffed it critically then poured a bit on his hand and licked it with the remark,  
  
"So, you're not completely useless." Genevieve took the bottle back and began to sip the potion slowly. Snape then turned toward the boys.  
  
"Potter, Weasley, make sure she drinks it all, now leave us." Not needing to be told twice they herded the still limping Genevieve out of the office, the last words they heard being those of Dumbledore saying,  
  
"Minerva, Severus allow me to introduce to you Wormtail, once known at Peter Pettigrew."  
  
*****  
  
The flights of stairs were much harder to go up than down, especially now that Genevieve in human form winced with every step. Halfway up she sat down and began sipping her red potion again. She looked even more tired and weatherworn with every swallow. Harry could not help himself,  
  
"Please, I need to know" he began but Genevieve had already guessed what he was going to say.  
  
"You want to know what was in that letter, who or I guess what I am and how I came about to complicate your life," she smiled at the last bit. "Well, I will tell you what I can. Your letter is a visual. It is a picture that proves that my parents were innocent of a crime for which they were brutally and publicly executed by those who share the feelings of your beloved Professor Snape."  
  
"What I am is a bit more difficult to explain." Harry and Ron exchanged confused glances. "You noticed by now that I assume many shapes. I'm not quite sure how to explain this. If someone were to transfigure themselves into an animal of some kind they would likely stay that way unless there was another wizard around to undo the spell because they would take on the mind of whatever creature they changed into and exist on instinct. On the other hand, you know about animagi, like Professor McGonagall and how she can change into a cat. She can transform and keep her mind clear as herself, but she can only change into one specific identifiable thing. Well, what if you could have the best of both worlds. It's a very promising yet dangerous combination. My great-great-great-grandmother was a Boggart, a shape shifter who is forced to take the shape of whatever would most scare the person nearest them."  
  
Harry interrupted, "We've studied Boggarts in Defense Against the Dark Arts."  
  
"Dark Arts!" Genevieve's voice rose. She took a moment to compose herself and continued. "Well, my Grandfather, back so many generations, invented a potion that would allow her to control what she changed into, which began a beautiful relationship, and thus stand I. I'm a bit witch, but mostly boggart. I came to Hogwarts while Voldemort was still in power."  
  
Harry who had been sitting there blown away by this story was even more so meeting another person willing to say the name of the Dark Lord. Neither Harry nor Ron wanted to interrupt her story again because of the amount of physical effort it seemed to take her to tell it.  
  
"Several of my cousins joined him and wanted me to as well but I wouldn't. My parents had taught me the importance of controlling my power and allowing it to be used only for good. It was with that promise that Dumbledore admitted me to school. I respect him for at least trying. By Christmas of my first year Snape had figured out what I was because of an accident. An entire cauldron of swelling solution fell on top of me and nothing happened because most potions have no effect on my kind.  
  
"My cousins who had joined Voldemort gave us all a bad name. Frankly people were scared and I can't blame them. Imagine a small army of people who can appear to be anyone or anything at will. It's terrifying. So Aurors were given a free license to kill any part blood boggart they came across. They did a good job of it too. I ran away from school and met up with my parents and we lived... well, perhaps not because no one would call what we went through a life. Shall we carry on up the stairs?" Harry and Ron jerked out of the trance they had both fallen into engrossed in the story.  
  
"Where was I, oh yes," she continued her story even as they climbed the staircases. "That's when I rejoined your parents Harry, it was before you were born. They knew we had not sided with Voldemort and hid us for a while. The only other person who knew we were there was Sirius Black. The six of us had worked together for years, and my parents and I knew your father since he was a child.  
  
"James, Lily and Sirius saved my parents lives for a few more months, and mine until now. On the other hand we were endangering their lives as long as we were there and when Lily got pregnant we knew it was time to leave. Eventually the Aurors caught up with my parents. They were given this stuff," she raised her glass to indicate the potion, then well, there is only one spell that kills us. It's a gruesome painful death.  
  
"I escaped, went to America and lived as a muggle as best I could. It was not until the year before last that I dared to come back. I needed some ingredients for my potions that can only be gathered in England. That's when I learned your story Harry and how Sirius had been imprisoned. I knew him very well, and there was no way he would have done what they said he did of his own free will. So I set to track down the truth. Eventually I came face to face with Peter Pettigrew, trying to recruit me for his 'cause,' instead I trapped him for mine. It was from him I learned Voldemort was going to try and get you from the Dursley's. I was not there to save James and Lily, but I could get you out of harms way. Now Peter is in the hands of someone who can clear Sirius name, finally I can help him the way he helped me so long ago." As they climbed the stairs Genevieve seemed to be looking for something with her hands on her hips, and then a mischievous look crossed her face.  
  
"They have moved it. It was right here and they moved it."  
  
"What did they move Genevieve?" asked Ron.  
  
"The cupboard that was right here. It was my favorite, black with gold trim and so full of surprises."  
  
Harry felt a little guilty because that was the cupboard Peeves had smashed at the insistence of Nearly Headless Nick to distract Filch, thereby getting Harry out of trouble. When he explained what happened to Genevieve she did seem a little sad but quickly rebounded and said, "We will just have to find a suitable substitute."  
  
"For what. Aren't you going to sleep in Gryffindor tower?"  
  
"I thought you studied boggarts in 'Dark Arts'," she spoke with sharp sarcasm. "A bed is no place for a boggart. Now, we will need some help." It was too late for Harry and Ron to stop her when she started banging on the walls and yelling.  
  
"Myrtle, where are you. Get out of those pipes. I know you are around here some where dear. Come out where I can see you!" It was not Myrtle's ghostly figure however who first approached them, but the Gray Lady.  
  
"Genevieve. Can that be you?" It was the first time either of the boys had heard the Gray lady speak. She had a lovely, soft voice, which carried deep into the soul with a sing song melody.  
  
Genevieve bowed to the approaching apparition and replied, "My Lady, how it warms my heart to see you again." Smiles broke across both of their faces and they embraced as old friends.  
  
As Genevieve did so the line between solid and spirit hazed and Harry could see straight through both of them. Then he noticed that the red potion lay on the floor spilling its contents. How much of it did she drink, he tried to remember. Maybe half, or less.  
  
Harry started to say, "We will just leave you two alone to find .." but he broke off when he saw Myrtle, not tear stained and long faced (her normal state which had earned her the nickname Moaning Myrtle) but joyful. In fact, she looked downright deliriously happy and also embraced Genevieve. When Nearly Headless Nick floated in Genevieve again curtseyed.  
  
"Sir Nicholas de Mimsey-Porpington, what an honor it is to see you here." She stood erect and took his hand.  
  
"The pleasure is all mine, my Lady" he responded with a bow. "You left so abruptly those many years ago I feared we would never meet again, or finish our discussion. Do you remember.."  
  
"Yes, of course Sir Nicholas. Are you still sure?"  
  
"Positive."  
  
"I will be leaving as soon as possible, but we will have to continue this conversation when what I drank of the stabilizing solution wears off. In the mean time, I hear my favorite cupboard was smashed." Nearly Headless Nick cast his eyes to the floor until Genevieve added, "But I also heard it was for a very good cause." Nick smiled and while he escorted her down the hallway she added, "If I remember correctly there is a handsome armoire up ahead."  
  
The ghosts followed the two down the hall and just past the Fat Lady entrance to the Gryffindor common room where Harry and Ron left them. Although, before Ron slipped through the portrait hole he noticed a few ghosts he had never seen before join the eerie procession toward an old mahogany wardrobe. 


	12. Explaination Interupted

Harry awoke the next morning feeling the weight of the world on his chest, until he opened his eyes to see a familiar canine sitting on him.  
  
"Get off me," he said as he sat up. By the time Harry put his glasses on Snuffles had transformed into a man.  
  
"I don't know how it happened, but this is a great day. Did you hear Dumbledore has Peter?" Sirius was practically dancing as he said it. "That means I'm free."  
  
"I know I was there," Harry laughed.  
  
"Did he put up much of a fight? How did it go down?"  
  
"He was brought in by that lady I keep trying to tell you about but we always get interrupted."  
  
"Who?"  
  
"She keeps sending these disks to me, and when I talked to her last night she said she knows you. Her name is Genevieve." Sirius sat down on the bed. "She's alive?"  
  
"She looked alive to me, at least most of the time."  
  
"Is she still here, where is she?" Sirius stood up again, this time agitated.  
  
"Yes, she's in a cupboard just outside the common room, what's wrong?"  
  
"Once the ministry finds out it was she who brought in Pettigrew everything will be suspect. There will have to be a full investigation and they won't just acquit me without a trial." Sirius changed into a dog and ran out the door. Harry barely had time to throw a cloak over his pajamas and run after him.  
  
As they neared the wardrobe Harry noticed the air thicken and grow colder. He realized that the hallway was occupied by ghosts standing in complete stillness. Myrtle stood on the edge of the group so Harry stood in front of her to get her attention.  
  
"What's going on?" he asked.  
  
"Genevieve is resting," she replied as though that would explain everything.  
  
"What has that got to do with anything."  
  
Myrtle glided away from the group and Harry followed. "Genevieve is healing. Once she is well, all will be well." She rejoined her ghostly companions, while Harry risked bumping into them to join Sirius who was talking to the Grey Lady.  
  
"Absolutely not. No one may disturb her at this time." Harry heard her say.  
  
"Not even the Headmaster," Dumbledore had walked behind Harry and Sirius and when the Gray Lady saw him she considered her options.  
  
"With deepest respect sir, she needs her rest."  
  
"And I need answers," he spoke with great intensity laced with gentility.  
  
"If you insist, but please, not all of you." She and the other ghosts parted leaving a path to the door of the wardrobe. Dumbledore dismissed Harry and Sirius and they waited outside the circle of ghostly sentinels. Although they watched Dumbledore approach it, open the door slowly and speak into the wood. The two of them strained to hear what he said.  
  
"Genevieve, may I have a word with you?"  
  
"Certainly Sir." Genevieve emerged from the depths and sat on the floor, leaning against the doors.  
  
"How do you feel?" He asked sincerely.  
  
"Gelatinous." She rubbed her temples and took a deep breath. "What can I do for you?"  
  
"I need you to tell me exactly how you came across Peter Pettigrew."  
  
"Won't you come in my room. The light out here makes it hard to concentrate." She stood and escorted Dumbledore into the recesses of the cabinet closing the doors behind them.  
  
"She looks beautiful," Harry overheard Sirius whisper.  
  
"If you go for the shape-shifting type I guess," Harry added sarcastically. "What do we do now?"  
  
"They could take all morning. Let's get some breakfast." Sirius walked down the hall a few yards. "We aren't out of the woods yet, I'd better do this as Snuffles," and changed back into the bear-like canine.  
  
At breakfast Harry met up with Ron and Morgain after filling two plates full of food for himself and Snuffles.  
  
"What is going on?" Ron asked. "I saw all those ghosts outside the common room and Dumbledore headed for the cupboard."  
  
"Dumbledore is talking to Genevieve, but other than that I have no idea."  
  
"Genevieve is here, in the castle?" Morgain seemed uncharacteristically curious to Harry. They were alone in the hall except for some Hufflepuffs sitting two tables over. When Snuffles devoured everything on his plate and a few things on Harry's he sniffed the air suspiciously in the direction of Morgain.  
  
"It's ok Snuffles," Harry was not about to risk Sirius' life, this close to his regaining freedom, by letting on to Morgain who the dog really was. "This is a friend of mine." Snuffles backed down but kept an eye on her.  
  
As they all finished eating Snape entered the Great Hall. When his eyes fell on Harry and Snuffles hatred permeated his face but he suppressed it from his voice as he spoke to them.  
  
"Dumbledore requests an audience with you both in there," he pointed to the door behind the teacher's table.  
  
"Thank you Professor," Harry said politely as he and Snuffles walked that way. Once through the door Harry's eyes needed time to adjust as all the candles except three had been extinguished. Those three candles sat on the mantelpiece silhouetting the chair in front of it.  
  
"Harry, Sirius, welcome." Dumbledore stood by the chair and helped guide them to their seats. "We are quite alone here, you may take human form if you wish." Sirius stood erect and stretched a bit before sitting next to Harry. Harry, even in the dimness of the room noticed the occupants of the picture frames were gone. "Genevieve, are you alright now."  
  
"Just about," she replied from the chair. Dumbledore, with a wave of his wand, started a roaring blaze in the fireplace brightening the whole room. Now Harry could see Genevieve, and though she looked weak he now noticed as Sirius had that she was quite beautiful. Sirius rose and knelt by her chair.  
  
"I thought you were dead, my dear friend." Sirius said as he caressed her hand.  
  
"Until this moment, so did I." She stood up shakily and walked to the desk near Harry. Harry turned to look at it and saw a scroll, similar to the one Dumbledore had given him unrolled and held open by smooth green stones at each corner. Sirius steadied her as she reached into her satchel.  
  
The door opened and shut flashing bright light onto the scene. It was Professors McGonagall and Flitwick and with a nod from Dumbledore they too approached the table. From her bag, Genevieve retrieved a coin. Its markings were similar to the ones Harry had in his pocket, but it was worn and dented, obviously much older than his. She placed it in her hand and held it palm side down above the heart of the scroll. Slowly she opened her fingers, starting with the little one then each in succession until her thumb extended. The coin floated just below her palm and as she moved her hand away it began to spin.  
  
The coin emitted a soft, low, continuous note. The scroll quivered and then the cryptograms rose from the page to meet the coin. Underneath a manifestation of the floating words could be seen, with their interpretations. Harry saw them briefly as the instructions for creating the coins, from the proper proportions of metal, dimensions, and striking the images, to the recording of them, though the short-lived viewing didn't allow anyone a detailed look. Genevieve staggered back to her chair and collapsed into it.  
  
"Pardon me," she whimpered. "A few more minutes and I will have fully healed. Shall we continue this then."  
  
Dumbledore approached her somberly. "I'm afraid we don't have much time. Cornelius Fudge will be here shortly to see if your evidence is real and from that he will make the decision about a trial for you and Sirius."  
  
"A trial for her," Sirius questioned, "But why?"  
  
"For existing without permission, I suppose." She hadn't lost her sarcasm with her strength. Professor McGonagall however expressed a more plausible answer.  
  
"She was executed, or so we thought, for assisting the Dark Lord in learning Old Magic."  
  
"I didn't do it, but there is no way for that to be proved." Genevieve spoke directly to Professor McGonagall. "He learned the same way the Longbottoms did, by figuring out the scrolls." Harry looked around the room at all the adults in this conversation and suddenly felt quite privileged to be included.  
  
The door opened again, this time Cornelius Fudge, the Minister of Magic entered with two other men who were not introduced and Professor Snape. Sirius moved into the shadows unobserved.  
  
"So Dumbledore, you caught one of these Creatures," he spat the words as though disgusted he had to say them. Genevieve closed her eyes and appeared to be somewhere else mentally. "Why is she yet living?"  
  
"Cornelius, before you pass judgment so quickly you may want to see several of the things she has brought with her."  
  
"What could a thing like that bring that would interest me."  
  
"Trust me, you will be interested, but please come to my office."  
  
"Only if I may leave these two gentlemen to guard It, Albus. I don't want a repeat of the Sirius Black escape incident."  
  
"That will be all right, if McGonagall and Flitwick may stay as well. We don't want a repeat of the Barty Crouch execution incident either." Minister Fudge led the way out of the room and Dumbledore left after he saw Professor McGonagall, Flitwick and Snuffles the dog, standing between Genevieve and Fudge's guards.  
  
Harry stepped around Genevieve's protectors and knelt beside her. She was breathing slowly and her eyes beneath their lids shuddered rapidly. As he watched her skin gained color and her back straightened. After five minutes her eyes slowly opened and after a moment she realized what was going on.  
  
"We could do with a bit more light. Dear Professor Flitwick would you do the honors." Flitwick swished his wand in the air and the candles in the room lit. "Thank you, kind sir. While we are waiting I could do with a bit of music. Harry, do you still have those coins, give one a flip." Her guards pointed their wands at her and Harry, afraid of what would happen.  
  
Harry flipped the second coin he had received, with his mother's introduction but his father's music. As it played ghosts glided into the room, some stopped to whisper to Genevieve, others swayed and glided in time to the music. The ministry guards even tapped their feet in time to the music and had soon lowered their wands.  
  
Disclaimer: Still not mine, still poor so don't sue me. 


	13. Battle Plans

"What type of witchcraft is this?" Fudge burst into the room to witness his own guards dancing with ghosts. Genevieve snatched the coin out of the air stopping the music instantly.  
  
"I apologize Minister," Genevieve addressed him from between several ghosts. "I hope you were not offended if this occasion was not treated with the soberness one might think appropriate. I needed something to take my mind off my son." Snuffles jerked his head around in surprise and looked at Genevieve, she noticed and mouthed the words 'I'll explain later', to him.  
  
"I have spoken to that someone you brought as Peter Pettigrew, and he seems to go along with the story about your offspring. I have my doubts that perhaps he is one of your kind in that form to fool us, but all that will be addressed in a trial in two weeks. In the mean time, I suggest you do not try any of your evil tricks." He left the room followed by his guards, avoiding ghosts in his path. The Grey Lady glided toward Genevieve.  
  
"What are you going to do?" She asked.  
  
"Personally, I'm going to the forest to get my child before Voldemort becomes impatient and kills him." She stood and straightening the hem of her robe strode toward the door. Snuffles bounded in front of her and then changed back into a man.  
  
"You can't leave. It will only be used as evidence against both of us."  
  
She cast her eyes to the ground. "My son is helpless in the clutches of a mad man and you expect me to sit here until the ministry decides to execute me." Flitwick climbed up on a desk to look Genevieve in the eye.  
  
"He Who Must Not Be Named would not kill your son if he can raise a part- boggart to be on his side. That at least buys us some time doesn't it?"  
  
"Not necessarily." She passed them both then stopped in the doorway. Without looking back she informed them, "My son is a squib," and walked out. Dumbledore caught her before she left the castle and offered,  
  
"Stay. If we plan this out and work together we'll have a better chance." Genevieve turned to look at Dumbledore, nodded and went back into their conference room.  
  
No trace of her previous feebleness existed as she stood at the head of the table. McGonagall had asked Harry to leave but Genevieve insisted he remain, so he stood to her left. On his other side were Sirius, then Dumbledore, McGonagall, Snape, and Flitwick standing on a chair. Once again Genevieve gracefully released the coin over the scroll and for a second time the characters on the page rose to meet it.  
  
Then, the instructions for coin making also rose as did several other layers. Genevieve's hand remained outstretched over the coin until eight levels had shown themselves and then risen. Before them lay a recipe for a potion, and pictures of ghosts, fairies, and creatures and characters with which Harry was unfamiliar. All were silent waiting for Genevieve to explain. She leaned over the scroll and read to herself, slowly moving her lips.  
  
"What we have here," she began, "is the plan we found and had intended to use to destroy Voldemort before young Harry did it for us. I believe it will still work." She took a separate piece of parchment and quill, copied the potion and handed it to Snape.  
  
"This is your department, Snape." He did not take it, but let it fall on the desk in front of him. "The key to this plan is Light. A simple principle, light dispels darkness. Light and dark cannot occupy the same place at the same time. We will gather every light source we can, flood the forest with them and then with weapons drenched in that potion we will be sufficiently armed."  
  
Snape picked up the parchment she had dropped in front of him, "What sort of potion is this?"  
  
"You are familiar with forms of it. It is an iteration of the Illumination Liquids but much more complicated and powerful. It should be light yellow and will behave similar to melted wax if prepared carefully. But you are not 'completely useless' and should be able to complete it."  
  
She spoke almost mockingly to Snape, as he had to her the day she arrived. "Once it is done we will attack the next day, with the morning light." She looked into each face around the table every one of which stood silently looking at the scroll. Dumbledore was the first to speak,  
  
"It is a good plan. I will explain it to the other teachers tomorrow morning. In the mean time we will have a lot of uneasy students and school must continue. I am open to suggestions for boosting confidence and morale if any of you have one."  
  
Professor McGonagall was the first with a brainstorm, "How about a formal ball, Albus." Harry inwardly groaned because last years dance had been a harrowing experience.  
  
"That sounds like a marvelous idea. It will show everyone the confidence we have in defeating Voldemort and be a host of fun." Flitwick agreed.  
  
The previously somber mood was lifted considerably as the teachers made plans for the party. Genevieve excused herself as did Harry and Sirius, now Snuffles. Together they went up the stairs toward the Gryffindor common room. Harry's only consoling thought being he was the first to know and therefore had time to ask who he wanted to before someone else did.  
  
*****  
  
Christmas vacation flew to an end and the students returned on a reputably uneventful train ride. That night Dumbledore addressed them all at a feast to explain, in part, the plan.  
  
"Students, welcome back. I have a bit of a surprise for you. To celebrate your bravery and good work so far on Wednesday evening we will have a formal ball and all classes will be canceled Thursday and Friday." Cheers echoed through the great hall. Harry turned to Morgain, and sitting across from them, Ron faced Hermione. The boys asked in unison,  
  
"Will you go with me?"  
  
The girls looked at them and then each other grinning, answering together, "Yes."  
  
Dumbledore continued, "With this, I trust each of you will continue, and or improve your strong efforts toward your studies. If so we may make this a more common event. Enjoy the Feast." With these last words delectable dishes of all assortments filled the tables such that no one went to bed that night left wanting.  
  
Genevieve was rarely seen around the castle during the week that followed though her preparations for the eminent battle were easily recognizable. Ghosts from all over the countryside arrived in large groups and over ran the dungeons and many of the classrooms. Pixies and Fairies skipped through the hallways, not so easily contained. As classes began again the teachers were so distracted they neglected to give homework. All of them that is, except Snape. His mood was nastier than ever and not even Draco dared snicker in his class.  
  
Harry, Hermione and Ron, after an exhausting potions lesson were walking toward their common room when they noticed that there were no ghosts around Genevieve's closet and the door stood slightly ajar. Cautiously they approached it, Harry in the lead. He reached out his hand slowly and creaked open the door, peaking in side. It was dark and cool, so cold in fact that it crept into Harry. Waves of cool air lapped around Harry's chest making it hard to breathe.  
  
Out of the cupboard floated a tall dementor. Harry fumbled for his wand, Hermione had hers ready. Before either of them could get a spell out the dementor fell onto its hands and knees coughing. A slimy scab covered hand pulled down its hood and Genevieve's long golden hair cascaded to the floor. Still coughing and gasping for breath Genevieve sat up shaking her head as though to clear it.  
  
"Don't do that Harry!" Genevieve exclaimed.  
  
"Do what?" He was still startled, though the chill was beginning to wear off. Genevieve's cloak returned to normal, with her bag slung across her chest. She reached into it and pulled out enough chocolate for all four of them.  
  
"Sneak up on me like that." She took a large bite of chocolate and rested her head against the wall; her eyes unfocused gazed at the ceiling. "I was sleeping and that is one nasty fear you have."  
  
"I am freezing." Ron rubbed his shoulders still shuddering.  
  
"Imagine having a dementor inside you." She leaned her head from side to side to crack her neck.  
  
"You know our fears?" Harry asked awkwardly.  
  
"What type of boggart would I be if I couldn't?" She bit off another piece of chocolate and chewed it slowly.  
  
"Why don't you change into a dementor every time I come near you then?"  
  
"Self-control mostly. It helps that I have some witch blood coursing through my veins. So to what do I owe the pleasure of your visit?" The chocolate helped her regain her usual composure and she stood up.  
  
"All your ghost friends were gone and the door was open so we came to make sure you are ok." Ron said taking more chocolate from Genevieve.  
  
"They are all preparing for the ball and the battle so I sent them away. Not to mention it was getting a little chilly with such a congregation of ghosts. They will be back by tomorrow."  
  
"Genevieve," Hermione stepped forward to speak to her. "How is it you are so calm when You-Know-Who has your son?" Genevieve's casual stance solidified and she swallowed hard.  
  
"That is also a matter of self-control." She spoke slowly and with great effort. "How would panicking help my poor child? I have the satisfaction of knowing I am doing all in my power to save him. Whatever the outcome at least I have that." Genevieve somberly looked at Harry, she smiled tenderly and then to lighten the mood slyly spoke to Hermione. "You had better get your homework done or your worst fear may come find you." Hermione's eyes widened in fright with the possibility of her grades falling and led the way back to the common room while Genevieve re-entered her wardrobe.  
  
Disclaimer: Insert appropriately worded legal jargon - yup, you guessed it - JKR's writing is not mine. 


	14. For Whom the Ball Tolls

Finally the night of the ball arrived and Harry and Ron waited in the common room for their dates. Sirius, as Snuffles, waited with them. Hermione was the first of their dates to descend the girl's staircase. Ron stared at her open mouthed because she looked even more beautiful than last year. Her normally frizzy hair was tamed in small ringlets that bounced as she walked. Her light purple robes flowed gracefully behind her.  
  
She engaged Ron in a conversation about herbology, mostly to prove to him it really was her. Most of the other girls had met their dates and left before Morgain appeared at the top of the steps. Her robes and dress of deep green complemented her eyes, which were fixed on Harry. Her hair, held back in elaborate braids except for three long ringlets to the right of her face, shimmered in the firelight. Harry gave her his arm and walked behind Ron and Hermione, in awe of her.  
  
In the hallway they encountered Genevieve who stopped to face them. She wore a large, bell shaped emerald green dress trimmed by lace and pearls. An emerald green leather bodice laced in front was partially covered with a velvet black cloak. Her hood, pinned up in her braided hair, framed her pale face.  
  
"Morgain," Genevieve approached her. "I did not know you had come to school," she bowed before Harry's date, to his surprise, but Morgain quickly bade her rise.  
  
"I am here because of you. Her Ladyship forbade it all those years, but you argued a great case." The two embraced as friends. Snuffles barked softly and stood beside Genevieve as her escort.  
  
The students filed into the Great Hall accompanied by a lovely classical piece played by a small orchestra set where the teachers table was normally. The long tables had been replaced by several small tables near the walls leaving room in the center for dancing. Harry, Morgain, Ron, Hermione, Genevieve and Snuffles found adjacent tables. From menus on their plates they could either order a steak and salad dish, or chicken and potatoes. As they ate Genevieve was approached by several ghosts who whispered in her ear. Each one she answered briefly, until Nearly Headless Nick drew near.  
  
"Please Sir Nicholas, join me." She offered politely.  
  
"I had hoped we could finish our conversation tonight." He appeared timid to Harry and Morgain, smiling, suggested they listen carefully.  
  
"I counted on it Sir. You asked those many years ago for my special brand of help and it pained me to leave without it completed." Genevieve and Sir Nicholas used such proper and lavish language with each other the conversation could have dragged on for hours if she hadn't struck right to the point.  
  
"Your request is to complete the partial beheading that has left you in your current condition. You must be quite sure you want this done. There is no way to reverse it if you change your mind later, understood."  
  
"Yes, my lady. I am sure."  
  
"We shall see. When the time comes you will have a split second to decide how attached you are to your cranium, no pun intended. In that moment of truth, desires not even you knew you had will become apparent to all. Are you prepared for that?"  
  
"Yes, I have been preparing for this moment for centuries."  
  
"Unfortunately for you, this is not quite the moment. First, let us dance. So few people remember the graceful dances of your lifetime it is difficult to find a decent partner." He stood up and bowed to her. Before Harry's eyes the vibrant color of her dress muted and she became translucent. Harry looked at Genevieve being escorted onto the floor and then at Morgain, who smiled and shook her head.  
  
"Is she a ghost?" Harry wondered why Morgain was not as surprised by what she had just seen.  
  
"She can be anything she wants, even a ghost." Morgain said, not taking her eyes off the strange couple who had approached the band and whispered in the conductor's ear. "Just watch, this is where she gets good." She wrinkled her nose in anticipation and Harry returned to watching the dancers.  
  
As Genevieve and Nick glided through students to the middle of the floor the others left, leaving them alone. The music started slowly. Nick bowed to Genevieve, she curtsied in return and they faced palm to palm. Together and apart they stepped, barely touching until the music picked up tempo. Around they floated, spinning gracefully together and then Genevieve twirling at his side. Harry had never seen Nearly Headless Nick as happy as at that moment.  
  
Genevieve elegantly broke her hand free on yet another spin and retrieved from her cloak a six inch dagger, as translucent as them both, though it strangely reflected the candles hanging above them. Those who noticed it gasped. Harry was stopped from crying out a warning to Nick by Morgain who simply put a finger to his lips and then pointed back to them.  
  
Genevieve spun again this time raising her blade and slicing it through the air toward Sir. Nicholas. Inches away from his neck he spotted it and responded by breaking away from her. She stopped and stared at him replacing the blade in her cloak, and he gazed at her with frightened and then knowing eyes. He bowed again, she curtsied and they finished the last few measures left in the dance. Genevieve walked toward the table as Nearly Headless Nick, remaining nearly headless, floated out the doors.  
  
"What was that?" Harry asked Genevieve.  
  
"His moment came, and his decision made. Now he has to learn to live with it." Genevieve spoke as the color came back to her dress and skin.  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"He asked me to sever that which was holding his head to his neck, but when I went to do it he realized, in that smallest of instants, what he thought he wanted was not compatible with his true desires or his best welfare and happiness." She straightened the many layers of her bulging dress before adding, "Why aren't you dancing? It's quite exciting out there." She pointed to the dance floor where a few brave couples had resumed dancing.  
  
"I don't dance very well," Harry twiddled his fingers as he said it.  
  
"If my memory serves me right, Morgain, you know how. Teach your friend. You too Mr. Weasley, Miss Grainger. Dance. As for me, I will get some fresh air. Care to join me Snuffles?" The smiled kindheartedly and the two of them walked to the door disappearing from view.  
  
"I have never been steered wrong following her advice," Morgain laughed. "Let's dance." She and Harry danced on the edge of the dance floor until Harry found the courage to lead her into a rousing waltz. By the time that song was over, both were glad they'd taken Genevieve's guidance and continued dancing until they collapsed into their chairs again.  
  
Ron and Hermione also danced and shortly sank into their chairs laughing by Harry and Morgain.  
  
"I wonder where they went," Morgain asked the other three.  
  
"Where who went?" Ron asked, still laughing.  
  
"Genevieve and that dog of yours Harry." Harry instantly stiffened.  
  
"What makes you think he's my dog?" Harry asked suspiciously.  
  
"Ok, so he's not your dog, but only because he's not a dog. I think it is wonderful for Genevieve to have a friend like that."  
  
"I don't know what you're talking about." Harry was now getting very defensive.  
  
"You think I would tell anyone? So, they've got an animagi protecting 'Famous Harry Potter'. Right they should with all that is written in the stars for you. I only wondered what chemistry was brewing between them. Let's go find out." She ran out the front door before Harry was even half way across the hall. Trailed by Ron and Hermione, Harry ran after Morgain to the corner of the castle over looking the lake. Morgain hid herself, and the others, behind a bush as she scanned the grounds.  
  
"Over there," she pointed toward the lake.  
  
Harry, Ron and Hermione squinted to see two figures, both in human form, approach the dark water.  
  
They could see Genevieve reach into her bag and retrieve her peculiar wand. From her fist burst a wreath of horizontally spinning flowers into which Sirius and Genevieve stepped. Over the lake it glided with them, and they danced over the dark, icy depths. Harry looked at Morgain who watched them with satisfaction.  
  
"It's her time for great things," Morgain commented about the scene before leading them all back into the castle.  
  
"What do you know about Genevieve?" Harry asked Morgain once they were back inside alone.  
  
"If I tell you her secrets, she may tell you mine. I will tell you that she and my sister are old friends."  
  
"Then you know she is part-boggart?"  
  
"If she weren't she would never have met my sister."  
  
Harry decided to lay his cards on the table. "Are you from Kalla Island?"  
  
Morgain froze as Harry had before, "How did you find out?"  
  
"I found it in a book in the library. It was the only reason that made sense of why Peeves would bow to you."  
  
"To heck with this all." She stood in anger. "I'll go back tomorrow, and never bother you again."  
  
"Why would you have to leave?"  
  
"Wasn't that in your book? Because I'm only here to spy on you modern wizards." She then added hastily, "Not for You Know Who," because of the fear in Harry's face.  
  
"Then for whom?" Harry's wall of suspicion rose higher.  
  
"For my Sister. She is the High Lady of the Island, that's sort of like your Queen."  
  
"That would make you a Princess?" Harry stammered.  
  
"Sort of, but that's not the point. Our island is frequently under attack from outsiders who want our secrets. We harness parts of the Old Magic Dumbledore's classes taught us. From time to time wizards who found us came in with their wands and spells and whatever else and we knew not how to defend against them. When Genevieve visited our island years ago and then again recently, she suggested to my sister that I be sent to school here to learn the ways of your kind of magic as well as proper defenses that we can use."  
  
"So that's why you know herbs and potions but not spells," Harry now understood. Morgain nodded but kept her face toward the floor.  
  
"Once this is common knowledge I will have to leave."  
  
"Let's make a deal," Harry looked upon his friend with newfound respect. "If you don't tell anyone about Snuffles I won't tell anyone about where you come from. Agreed?"  
  
It was like a light switched on in Morgain's eyes and a weight lifted from her shoulders. She threw her arms around Harry. "Agreed," she whispered in his ear. They both smiled in their comforting embrace before returning that night to their dormitory.  
  
*****  
  
The morning to execute the plan arrived. The Gryffindor common room was relatively empty as most of the students chose to spend the day off elsewhere, though the snow that lingered kept most of them inside the castle. Genevieve met Harry in the common room where he sat preparing his firebolt broomstick for the battle.  
  
"What do you think you are doing?" Genevieve asked. She stood above him decked in thick leather armor, her hair completely held back in a bun.  
  
"Today is the day, I'm getting ready."  
  
"Nice thought, but I have different plans for you than to join the fray." She motioned Harry to follow which he did with his trusty Firebolt at his side, out of the common room to the wardrobe she occupied. It looked more like a war chest now as weapons of all shapes and sizes lay about. Ghosts frequently came to give her messages interrupting their conversation. She held out her hand to the next messenger to wait, squared Harry's shoulders and looked directly into his eyes.  
  
"I have here my most valuable possessions." She indicated a small table set next to them. On it rested several of the Travelers Watches she and Harry had used. Some necklaces and a glass box filled with coins. It was this last item she picked up and handed directly to Harry.  
  
"I can not take these into the forest, for if something was to go wrong and these fell into Voldemort's hands he could double if not triple his power. Then he would be almost unstoppable. I need you to guard them for me. You are not to give them to anyone but me, upon my return. If I don't come back, place them in your vault at Gringotts. Do this secretly and never speak of them again, or destroy them as you will." The ghost behind her put his hand on her shoulder to get her attention.  
  
"Pardon me, but I have urgent news." These messengers were spirit twins conjoined at the hip, who addressed her with a bow. The one to the right spoke first.  
  
"As there is no delicate way to put this it must be said straight out. Your son has been killed at the hands of Voldemort."  
  
Genevieve clapped her hands to her mouth and fell to her knees. "How can you be sure?" She gasped her breathing now erratic.  
  
"We witnessed it ourselves. The Death Eaters got news that classes were canceled at the school and assumed you were set to attack. Voldemort himself slit the child's throat and placed him at the mouth of their camp for you to find." Harry could tell it pained the ghosts to deliver such information while maintaining the professionalism required of their office.  
  
Genevieve however sobbed openly at the news gasping for breath and then crying even harder. The ghosts each stepped back and knelt in reverence of her loss, Harry did so as well. This scene is what Dumbledore, McGonagall and several other teachers encountered as they rounded the corner, followed swiftly by Minister Fudge.  
  
"What is going on here?" Dumbledore questioned Harry.  
  
"Genevieve's son was murdered by Voldemort." Harry thought of the child he'd seen in the portrait and lost a tear. "What are you doing here?" Harry asked Fudge.  
  
"I got word from some parents that you had a peculiar creature on the loose in this castle and that classes had be canceled today and decided to move things up a day. Rightly so, from the looks of things It is leaving without authorization."  
  
"Minister, she has a good plan for defeating Voldemort once and for all." Harry pleaded with him to see reason.  
  
"Probably a plan to bring the Dark Lord to full power. Her child's death was inevitable once she sided with You Know Who and it serves her right," Cornelius Fudge stepped forward, and began to read from a scroll. "The part-boggart Genevieve is hereby placed under arrest by the Ministry." he continued reading but no one listened.  
  
Genevieve lifted her head to look disbelievingly at Fudge, breathing heavily. Her face narrowed, eyes focused and she rose from the floor drawing her sword. Fudge stopped reading when he heard the scrape of metal leaving its sheath.  
  
"I'm going to kill him," she roared running forward, sword in hand, but it was not for the minister she aimed, but down the hall. She leapt through the window shattering the glass, and transforming in midair into an eagle. McGonagall grabbed Harry's broom that leaned against the wall, mounted it and rode after her. Everyone in the hall rushed to the window to see the two in a mid-air dance of wand bursts, wings and talons amid the flurry of softly falling snow.  
  
Professor McGonagall finally forced the bird to the ground where Genevieve re-appeared, sword still in hand. The two of them spoke angrily on the white slopes of the school before Genevieve and McGonagall came back into the castle. The group at the window then rushed downstairs to meet them in the Great Hall. Both of the women were winded and sat on the floor glaring at each other.  
  
"What is the use of you going off and getting yourself killed like that?" McGonagall yelled contemptibly while stripping Genevieve of her weapon.  
  
"Like staying around here waiting to be put to death is a better use of my time?" She stood and fixed her fly-away hair with the wave of her hand. "Voldemort killed my husband and now my child, and this small minded nit is going to accuse me of cooperating with him." She pointed toward Fudge and then walked straight toward him.  
  
"There is nothing I, or anyone one else could say to change your mind even though I am innocent. Any proof I offer you believe is contrived any help I give you are suspicious of. So what's the use?"  
  
"Fortunately for you, and those who want to defeat Voldemort," Dumbledore spoke with an edge in his voice, "the final decision is not up to the Minister alone or to the small number of friends he brought on this trip. There is to be a full trial, of enough ministry members to make this legal, isn't that correct Cornelius." Dumbledore now bore down on Fudge who conceded with a nod.  
  
"It will take at least a month or two notice to get that many members of the ministry together for the trial. Let's set it up, and this time it will be at the Ministry." Dumbledore dismissed Fudge and the few Ministry members he had brought.  
  
"Thank you Sir," Genevieve said as she took Dumbledore's hand. "I am fortunate to have an advocate such as you."  
  
"Don't thank me yet, we have a lot of work to do in preparation for the trial. In the mean time we will have to postpone the attack. Keep your ghost friends on regular surveillance. Now let's dig up all the information we can to keep you alive."  
  
Authors Note: Not mine.I've said that already and to prevent repetitious redundancy and overstating the matter same goes for the rest of the chapters.  
  
If you've read this far your involved so you may as well review. Although, I'm sure the rest of you are just waiting to see how it will end up before you pass judgment and I feel for you, I'd like to know how you feel about it now too..;) 


	15. The Mourning After yes, some titles ar...

Classes resumed the next week as usual and by the time Potions came around Harry already had a mounting pile of homework.  
  
"I trust the recent disruptions at the school haven't kept you from your studies," Snape began his class. "We will be having a pop quiz to ensure it." He passed out the quizzes and watched Harry and Morgain closely as they began. After Snape returned to his desk Harry noticed an unusual jar on it standing out in sharp contrast next to a flask of Poisoned Dragon's Liver. It radiated as bright yellow when Snape fingered the jar, and hung to the sides when rotated. 'That must be the potion Genevieve told him to make' he thought to himself. The glow from the jar alone was enough to light the usually dim dungeon classroom.  
  
Snape set the class to do busy work after the quiz and continued his study of the special Illumination Liquid. He dipped a small metal knife into the jar and rotated it in the fluid. When he pulled it out the potion congealed on the metal, glowing even brighter.  
  
He, and Harry from afar, studied the potions effects on different objects. The potion would not adhere to wood or plaster, only metal. But the most interesting quality revealed itself when Snape saw a spider crossing his desk and decided to kill it by stabbing. He used the knife drenched in the liquid and as the potion entered the arachnid it began to glow from within. Whether it died from the stab wound or from being filled with light was indeterminable, but it was clear to Harry that the potion would have worked on the Death Eaters.  
  
Harry had never spoken about what he heard of the plan with the other teachers assuming that they were in support of it. During the next Defense Against the Dark Arts lesson Harry was determined to ask Professor Figg her impression of the plan as well as Genevieve's chances for acquittal in a trial. That particular lesson entitles 'Deceiving effects of popularity and power' didn't seem appropriate to interrupt with his question so he waited until after the lesson.  
  
"Professor Figg, I've been wondering what chances Genevieve will have once she is put on trial. What do you think?" She looked curtly over her glasses at Harry while searching for words.  
  
"You shouldn't concern yourself with such things Harry. Dumbledore and she spend night and day finding every legal recourse they can and the rat they keep calling Pettigrew, if it really is him, would be strong evidence."  
  
"You don't believe it's Pettigrew?"  
  
"I have not seen him myself, nor would I have any way to tell if it is really him if I did. All I can say is if it is actually him and they say he did so many awful things, why would he be telling the truth now? Answer that and I might believe it." Harry left for Herbology wondering, 'why was Pettigrew telling the truth all of a sudden. It really wasn't in character for him'. He arrived in the greenhouse before class started and saw Morgain sitting in by the window alone.  
  
"What's wrong Morgain. You look sad."  
  
"I've just been to see Genevieve and." she took deep breaths to contain her emotions, "she is not well. Fudge insisted that she be on stabilizing solution 24/7 until the trial is over so she hasn't been able to regenerate herself in weeks. The ghosts say that the Death Eaters aren't moving any closer but take her not coming against them as a victory and are growing stronger. The only good news she's had was the centaurs in the forest took the body of her son and buried it just inside the forest, that's where I found her." Morgain pointed out of the Greenhouse window and Harry saw Genevieve a few steps into the forest spread over a freshly dug mound of earth, weeping.  
  
"Is there anything we can do for her?" Harry asked compassionately.  
  
"I think your dog just did." Morgain and Harry peered out the window again to see Snuffles pulling at Genevieve's cloak until she sat up. He placed a massive paw on her shoulder and they cried together.  
  
"Good morning class," Professor Sprout called the class to order. "Today we will be collecting Snow Sticks, can anyone tell me how we recognize one?" Hermione's hand shot up in the hair, but Professor Spout chose Neville Longbottom to answer.  
  
"They look like twigs sticking out of the ground with snow resting on them, but if you tap it the snow stays on because it's actually a flower."  
  
"Very good, Mr. Longbottom. Can anyone else tell me what uses this plant has?" This time she did choose Hermione.  
  
"There are several applications but it is best known for its medicinal quality of bringing down excessively high fevers and as an antidote for some of the more gruesome poisons. It is rarely used because its side effects include delirium, fatigue and visual hallucinations."  
  
"Thank you Miss Granger, that was very thorough. Now, all of you pick up a basket on your way out and find as many as you can. Mind you don't go into the forest and stay in groups."  
  
Harry and Morgain were not looking for Snow Sticks, rather they sought their sorrowful friends in the forest. They first heard them talking in the distance and crept forward to listen. Genevieve spoke first.  
  
"I am so sorry Sirius. Now that no one believes Wormtail is Peter Pettigrew there is no evidence to help your trial. I should never have come back to this place."  
  
"Nonsense my friend," Sirius' voice spoke softly and reassuringly to her. "You did what you thought was best. I am proud of you and grateful for your friendship."  
  
"I would have died for my son had I the chance, as Lily did. Gosh I miss her and James. He would know what to do in my predicament."  
  
"I miss them too." Sirius spoke solemnly. Harry peeked around a tree to see them sitting on a log with their backs facing him a bit deeper into the forest.  
  
Genevieve adopted a sweet singing voice that sounded to Harry remarkably like his mother, "Lily would say, 'My dear friend, the answer to your current quandary is easiest solved in the smallest pieces."  
  
Sirius smiled, "You've got her down pat. Then James would say, 'After a walk in the forest to clear my mind I've decided would like another walk in the forest." Sirius laughed, and Harry found himself laughing as well.  
  
"Yes, and then we would all run through the woods till we got to the old elm. My mother would unpack a picnic and we'd eat tarts so light they almost floated off the ground." Her voice drifted off in pursuit of such a happy memory.  
  
"I remember that. We would cast spells to make the clouds into the shapes we wanted them to be. The ministry got so mad at us; James and I were almost expelled. That was a great summer."  
  
"Grandpa Potter was very annoyed with me for letting things get out of hand like that. But he could never get really angry. Do you remember when we were younger, at nights he would sit us all down and recount the great stories of the past. Legends and histories of times long forgotten."  
  
"That was why James and I took up Old Magic studies you know. He wanted to bring back the noblest part of those times he heard about in Grandpa Potter's stories."  
  
"What else do you think James would say right now?"  
  
"He would tell you that your fight has only started and that you have to be brave enough to see it though to the end."  
  
"Yeah, he would say just that. And then Lily would say, 'Harry, what are you doing this deep in the forest'?"  
  
She turned her head swiftly to see Harry and Morgain who stood guiltily, rooted to the spot. Sirius transformed into Snuffles and he and Genevieve approached the two. Close up Genevieve's red puffy eyes gave away the fact that she had been crying, though she was not now.  
  
"We were looking for Snow Sticks for Herbology." Harry offered as a weak excuse.  
  
"Morgain, you should have put Harry right. You know that those do not grow under the canopy of trees, just on the edges. Get back to class."  
  
"Tell me more about my parents," Harry pleaded. Genevieve smiled down at Harry's insistent eyes.  
  
"Tonight, meet me at my wardrobe and I will tell you fantastical stories of the best people I ever had the privilege to know. But now, go back to class." The rest of the day inched by while Harry anticipated the stories Genevieve would tell.  
  
"Ron, Hermione. Guess what. Genevieve is going to tell me all about my parents tonight."  
  
"That will be fascinating. Can we come," Hermione asked. Harry thought about it for a while, whether he wanted the experience for himself or to share it. He decided after a while that his closest friends could only enhance the occasion and invited them. When the last class was finished Harry took two bites of his mashed potatoes before running upstairs, Hermione and Ron not far behind.  
  
At the Wardrobe, Harry saw Snuffles and several ghosts, standing guard as usual. Snuffles sounded two friendly barks and Genevieve opened the door. The three friends and the dog entered what appeared from the outside to be just furniture. The inside was a different story entirely. Decorated with green carpet and chairs was a space nearly the size of Harry's dorm room. A warming, smokeless fire burned in the center of the room.  
  
"Harry, would you mind locking the door with a spell. I haven't felt up to magic lately." Genevieve did indeed appear weaker and Harry bound the doors shut then joined them around the fire.  
  
"I'm not sure where to begin, I've known the Potters for as long as I can remember." She settled in her chair and Sirius as a man, sat next to her. "Let's start with those troublemakers in school. Sirius tells me you have encountered the Marauder's Map they made. What a beautiful piece of magic that was. I only heard most of this from letters James sent home and what they told me later, so Sirius you had better correct me if I get my facts mixed up." She smiled, which greatly improved her appearance.  
  
"James and Lily met here at school. They were quite competitive with each other. James loved to show off for her, which at first she found childish but was eventually impressed and they became friends. The summer between their sixth and seventh years she came to stay at the Potter House. Sirius lived near by and the four of us had great times. I was only a bit younger than them, but my parents hadn't allowed me to come to Hogwarts, the reasons for which I found out myself once I did finally come." She drifted off as though reliving a painful memory. "But that is neither here nor there. Where were we? Ah yes, that summer. Our favorite game was to run through the groves after James while he would gallop as a magnificent stag. We always ended by this gigantic elm tree where we could do magic unobserved. The forest had a few muggle protections around it and given the fact that, well they were the Potters, the ministry usually left us alone."  
  
"What did being a Potter have to do with it, back then I mean?" Harry asked. Genevieve looked from him to Sirius bewildered.  
  
"Your ancestors created the Ministry of Magic ages ago during a time of complete chaos. It began as a Monarchy, handing down the Minister seat from father to son until about five centuries ago when Pariah Potter, fearing an overthrow and the possibility of corruption, transformed the Minister position into an elected one which is what we have now. He then allotted an inheritance for himself and built the Potter House and planted the forest to hide it. The rest, as they say, is history."  
  
"Why am I always the last to know these things?" Harry was impressed by his heritage, but again felt left out of his own past.  
  
"I didn't even know all that," Hermione was amazed. "That's not in any book I read."  
  
"Of course not. The Ministry records were kept on scrolls, and since back then they had work more than they had time to write most of it is not on paper, but has been kept as an oral history, so it's not common knowledge to anyone but history scholars and those who sat by Grandpa Potter on warm summer evenings. Those scrolls that were written have been carefully preserved by your ancestors and are." her voice stopped abruptly though her mouth kept moving. Awareness washed over her face and she dashed about the room searching for something.  
  
"Where is parchment and quill when you need them? Wait, I've got something that will work in here." She reached into her bag and pulled out a spiral notebook and ball point pen and began to scribble on the paper. Ron looked curiously at the device as he had never seen one before.  
  
"What are those," Ron asked Genevieve, but she continued writing in the notebook. Harry leaned toward Ron.  
  
"Those are what muggles use instead of quills and parchment. The ink is inside the pen so you don't have to dip it, and the paper is held together by the metal rings down the side."  
  
"How odd," Ron said as he surveyed the writing implements. Genevieve however was not paying attention to them, put utterly engrossed in recording her memory.  
  
"Sirius, it is all so simple. The catacombs and vaults under the house see." She reveled the page she had been pouring over so all saw the drawing. It resembled a map, though quite messy having been drawn in such haste. "It would be just here," she pointed to and then marked the place with an X. That's where James would have put everything." She stood and while sprinkling ash into the fire called, "Carsy, my I borrow a moment of your time."  
  
Out of the fire walked a small, long eared house elf. She hopped off the hearth and Genevieve knelt before the creature and whispered to her. The elf's eyes enlarged and she brought her long fingers to her mouth in shock, but when Genevieve smiled so did Carsy and by the time she left through the fire again she was laughing.  
  
"I've never heard a house elf laugh like that before." Ron said to Harry, but Genevieve overheard it.  
  
"That is because you never met Carsy before. Carsy and I have been through it all together. Hogwarts is lucky to have her. Wait, now that I think about it, technically, she's your house elf Harry."  
  
Harry stared at her in unbelief. "My house elf?"  
  
"You are the last Potter, and on your 18th birthday you inherit the house, which is where Carsy worked until your Father inherited her."  
  
"You talk about her like she's a piece of furniture," Hermione protested. "A person can't just be 'inherited'."  
  
"You are right of course," Genevieve surprised Hermione with her answer. "House Elves do have a choice but never choose to make one. They are bound by their own traditions they could break away from at any time, but don't."  
  
"A house elf named Dobby said it was the masters who held them there," said Hermione.  
  
Genevieve just laughed. "House elves have a tendency to underestimate themselves. In fact, they are more powerful than wizards and are naturals in using Old Magic, when it is taught to them. But there are as many reasons as there are house elves for why they stay where they do."  
  
"How do you know all this," Harry asked. Genevieve ignored the question by changing the subject.  
  
"Carsy went to ask Dumbledore to join us at his convenience. Harry would you unlock the door, please." Harry did as she asked but glanced at Ron and Hermione who had also noticed the dodge.  
  
A few minutes later Dumbledore and Carsy arrived so anxious to see what Genevieve had thought of it took him a while to notice Harry, Ron and Hermione were there, though after he did, they had his full attention.  
  
"What are you doing here?" He questioned.  
  
"Genevieve was telling me about my parents." Harry answered.  
  
"I applaud your desire to get in touch with your roots, but now is not the time. If anyone from the ministry knew you were alone with Genevieve your testimony would not be admissible."  
  
"My testimony, about what?"  
  
"All you need to do is tell the truth. We will discuss it later." He resumed looking at Genevieve's map. Carsy ushered Harry and his friends out the doors and stood outside to prevent their re-entry.  
  
Harry had just pulled on his pajamas when the door creaked open slowly. Silhouetted in the door frame Snuffles stood ridged. Harry leaned near the dog's face,  
  
"What's wrong?" Snuffles whimpered softly and scampered down the stairs to the now deserted common room and under the furthest desk from the dimming fire. Harry knelt by the table and saw only two eyes, human eyes, peering out from the darkness. He crawled underneath, between the chairs until he felt Sirius' trembling hand. Harry waited in silence for Sirius to speak.  
  
"I have bad and good news Harry." He gulped loudly. "Fudge himself has decided to prosecute Genevieve. Seems he has taken this whole situation very personally, and he is already convincing Ministry officials of her guilt."  
  
"That's not fair."  
  
"Life's not fair, Harry. But there is some hope. Dumbledore has decided to argue Genevieve's case, and she remembered where some documents are that your parents may have hidden. It's going to take a while to get them, and they may not even be there so I have to be leaving with that house-elf Carsy tonight."  
  
"Be careful please."  
  
"I will, and when we win this trial and then mine, you're coming home with me, alright." Harry almost laughed aloud with excitement. "Do me one favor though, Harry."  
  
"Anything," Harry grinned from ear to ear.  
  
"Genevieve is taking the news about Fudge pretty hard. Keep her from losing hope."  
  
"How can I do that?" Harry asked.  
  
"Get her involved. She's really good at helping ghosts, encourage that."  
  
"I've been meaning to ask why there are so many around her all the time."  
  
"Genevieve can help some with their problems, others she helps to move on. But mostly she has a way of making them feel mortal again. Help her keep busy, it takes her mind of everything. It would mean a lot to me."  
  
"I'll give it my best shot." Harry whispered. Harry threw his arms around his godfather to say good by and felt Sirius' skin grow furry. Snuffles slipped out from under the desk, nearly tipping over a chair. Harry caught it by the leg before it clattered to the floor and looked up just in time to see a large dog pushing open the portrait hole. 


	16. Feeling Useful

Harry couldn't find Genevieve over the next few days, though he checked her wardrobe every time he came or went from the common room. He would have worried but the amount of homework he had to do as well as quidditch practices often pushed her out of his mind. Saturday morning while eating breakfast he looked up to see Nearly Headless Nick floating by the table. Harry and Ron looked at each other, both realizing they hadn't seen him since the ball.  
  
"Where have you been Nick?" Harry asked, feeling guilty for not having noticed until now that he'd been gone.  
  
"Nowhere in particular," Nick stopped and surveyed Harry's breakfast of bacon and hash browns. "I've been looking for that friend of yours, Morgain, have you seen her." Harry looked around and not seeing her just shrugged his shoulders. Nearly Headless Nick floated away, jolting the memory of Genevieve and his promise to Sirius back into his mind.  
  
"Ron, let's see if we can find Genevieve today."  
  
"Alright Harry, but we've looked for her before. She could be anything, anywhere. How are we supposed to find her?"  
  
"She didn't feel up to magic when we saw her last week, maybe she's herself. It's worth a look."  
  
"Or find a really cold place full of ghosts," Ron suggested. Harry stood to leave and saw over the heads of the other tables Morgain talking to Nearly Headless Nick. They were whispering, though so animatedly one would think they were yelling but the sound had been muted.  
  
Ron stood and saw them too. "If you want to find Genevieve, those two probably know." Ron nudged Harry and they walked to where Morgain and Nick stood. Harry piqued his ears to hear what they were talking about but the whispers were too muffled. Morgain saw him approach out of the corner of her eye and broke off the conversation before he could get any closer.  
  
"Hi, Morgain. We've been looking for Genevieve. You wouldn't by chance know where to find her?"  
  
"Where have you looked," she said angrily.  
  
"Her closet mostly," Harry replied sheepishly.  
  
"Maybe if you look in more than one place, you would have a better chance of finding her." The hostility fuming from Morgain was not only uncharacteristic, but unwarranted, thought Harry.  
  
"Is there something wrong Morgain?" he asked sheepishly.  
  
"You want me to tell you what's wrong. I'll tell you, my sister..," she mumbled, growled and made faces but couldn't seem to say another word. She blinked slowly and took a few rhythmic breaths. "My sister and I just have different ideas about school and such that we need to work out." She spun around abruptly and left the hall. Ron let out a long low whistle.  
  
"And I thought my sister could be aggravating."  
  
"What was that about," Harry asked Nearly Headless Nick.  
  
"I shouldn't really tell you, but.," he leaned close to Harry's ear, "her sister wants her to go home. She thinks it's too dangerous around here, with the Death Eaters so close, for Morgain to stay." Nick then straightened his shoulders and looked from left to right, to make sure no one had seen him whispering. "I believe you will find Genevieve on the back lawns now that the snow has melted." Nick then strode through the wall and out of sight.  
  
"Shall we," Harry invited Ron, extending his hand toward the door.  
  
"After you," Ron replied with his hand out. The two walked together into the Entrance Hall and out the front doors.  
  
The snow may have melted but the air remained crisply cold. Small shoots of grass poked through the dark earth which squished noisily beneath their feet. Harry and Ron walked to the back of the castle, but stopped suddenly when they heard noise coming from the direction of the forest. A soft hymn floated toward them from which Harry could see Genevieve laying on the soft soil staring at the gray sky. They approached cautiously, not wanting to surprise her.  
  
"Genevieve," Harry yelled still some distance from her. She turned her head slowly in their direction then looked back at the sky. As Harry and Ron got closer they could see coins littered the ground, while one floating above her head began another song. Harry and Ron sat cross legged a few feet away from her listening to the music. When the song ended the coin fell and landed on her forehead, but she was too lost in thought to notice.  
  
The wind through the trees was the only sound they heard now. Suddenly Genevieve rolled to her side, leaning her head on her hand, her elbow sinking slightly into the earth. She looked directly at Harry who stared curiously back.  
  
"Do you know what I learned from Fudge last week?" She said abruptly. Harry and Ron sat in silence shrugging their shoulders. "I am the monster every child fears is in their closet." She took a deep breath and lay back down. "Funny, my husband's name was Harry, bless his soul. He was so good and kind. He didn't care what I looked like or about my past you know. Best muggle I ever met. When I was first pregnant and discovered my child was to be a muggle I cried."  
  
"How could you know your child was a muggle when you were pregnant?" Harry interrupted curiously.  
  
"Simple. I could not take the form of anything inanimate, and those things I could change into he wouldn't change with me. He was always just a beautiful human child."  
  
"I'm sorry for the interruption."  
  
"That is quite alright." Genevieve sat up, no longer idly rambling but involved in the story. "I cried because my dreams of a child I could raise as I was raised were shattered. After a while I consoled myself with the thought that he would never be hunted or undergo the same struggles I did. But it still happened, he's dead and I couldn't save him." She picked up a coin at random from off the grass and flipped it playing Pachabel's Cannon in D. "I always liked this song." She said sinking to the ground again drifting away mentally.  
  
"This is going to take drastic measures," Harry said in a low voice to Ron. "Follow my lead." Harry stood up and grabbed the coin out of the air. "Genevieve, it's time for you to do something."  
  
"Like what." She looked at him curiously.  
  
"Anything, but you've got to get out of this slump. Go help a ghost, or do research for the trial." She sat up, her face set very serious.  
  
"Haven't you heard Fudge is prosecuting? The ministry doesn't care if I'm guilty or innocent. Three months after my execution when they realize that Voldemort has not been hindered in the least they will not regret what they did to me. Rather they will continue to feel as though a great public service has been done by way of preventing children's nightmares. I don't matter to them, and quite frankly I don't matter to me anymore either. Almost everyone I've ever cared for is dead and by the end of this mockery they've termed a trial I will be joining them. In the meantime, I think I've earned the right to be a little depressed." Harry stood over her as she spread out on the ground sulking.  
  
"Oh, no you don't." He took one hand and Ron grabbed the other. Together they pulled her up to standing. "There are a lot of things for you to do around here, a lot of ghosts to help like you did with Nick, right. You can't give up now." She took a few steps away from the boys and spoke with her back to them, hanging her head.  
  
"I can't help them, or anybody anymore. I've been taking stabilizing solution since Fudge left and promised to continue it until the trial so that he wouldn't ship me off to Azkaban. I'm just too tired." Harry considered her for a moment until he finally came up with an idea.  
  
"You can't give up now. You are the last person alive who knows my family's history, you can help me by recording it all." Genevieve raised her head and turned to look at him with a hint of a smile.  
  
"It would be a pleasure to remember those again and to make sure they are not lost to antiquity. Let's get started right away." Sparks shown in her eyes and she purposefully walked toward Harry, grabbing his hand. "We will record it onto coin disks, do you have your wand?" She led Harry and Ron to the side of the castle and kneeled down facing the sloping lawns, in the shade of a small tree.  
  
"Yes, I have it here." Harry extracted his wand from the folds of his robes.  
  
"Perfect." Genevieve reached into her bag and pulled out the glass case of coins Harry had seen before. She dumped them into her lap sorting through them to pull out an old corroded coin with a hole in the middle shaped like a star. Harry and Ron watched with interest as she placed in into her palm and slowly closed her fingers over it. Then, palm up, she unfurled her pinky finger, then the ring finger, middle and index slowly in succession.  
  
When her thumb fully extended the coin spun, but made no noise. Next to it she flipped into the air a shiny new disk. Then, she touched the base of Harry's wand to the old coin and pointed it toward the new. A very old voice croaked the word "recodre" shooting a small light from the old disk to the other. When the beam was finished the old coin landed softly in the grass and she placed Harry's wand next to it. Genevieve recognized amazement on the faces of her young friends and laughed out loud.  
  
"That is the easy way to make these. What we are saying now is being recorded onto this one." She pointed to the shiny new coin. Harry reached for the old coin but Genevieve stopped him. "I wouldn't touch it if I were you. It is probably still hot."  
  
"But what just happened." Ron looked from the spinning coin to the one on the ground to Genevieve. She smiled, and Harry thought it was nice to see her do so.  
  
"Thousands of years ago a wizard made that old coin, placing in it the proper words and mental force. When Harry's wand came close it cast the spell to make a new disk, which is spinning and therefore recording right now. Speaking of which, you two had better run along. You can listen to the stories later, go enjoy your Saturday."  
  
"But I want to listen now," Harry protested.  
  
"You'll make me nervous," she wrinkled her nose in a big smile. "Besides, some of these stories will make more sense when you're older. Off you go." She waved them away, but before they turned the corner to the front of the castle Harry looked back to see Genevieve leaning against the wall speaking with such enthusiasm she could not contain her hands.  
  
"That was quite the transformation," Ron recalled with a low sigh once inside the castle.  
  
"Sirius, I mean Snuffles, said that she needed something to keep her busy or she would lose hope. He was right on there." Harry and Ron picked up their bags from their dorm room to join Hermione doing homework in the library.  
  
Weeks flew by in what seemed like minutes, and it was a rare occasion that anyone saw Genevieve. She spent most of her time either in her wardrobe or on the edge of the forest talking to her self, or so most students thought who saw her thus engaged. Harry hadn't bothered to set them right and after a while no one saw or spoke of her. One Wednesday afternoon Dumbledore excused Harry from Charms to talk with him.  
  
"Harry, Genevieve told me what you did for her and has asked me to give these to you." Dumbledore handed him a long, thin wooded box. Harry opened it to find twelve coins, neatly arranged and separated by slots. "That is a valuable and irreplaceable gift containing a wealth of knowledge." Dumbledore looked admiringly at the case of coins. Harry nodded, also in awe of what he held.  
  
"Where is she? I'd like to thank her." Harry said, closing the box carefully.  
  
"Genevieve left this morning for the ministry buildings with Hagrid. The trial starts on Friday." Harry looked up surprised.  
  
"Already. She is going to be alright isn't she?"  
  
"If Sirius meets us there in time, she will have a chance. You ought to pack your nicest robes. Meet me in the entrance hall tomorrow morning."  
  
"But what can I tell them?"  
  
"The truth, but we can speak more of it on the train. It might be best though, to leave those disks here." Dumbledore left him to feel the gravity of Genevieve's position until Harry quietly went to the common room to pack.  
  
"I can't believe you are going to miss the last Quidditch match. Since Ravenclaw beat Slytherin it should be pretty cool to see Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff go, and we don't have to worry about Malfoy gloating." Ron told Harry while helping him to pack a small suitcase.  
  
"I know I want to be there. But this is more important."  
  
"I guess you're lucky Harry," Ron said, helping Harry carry a suitcase down the stairs. "You will miss the Herbology test today."  
  
"Luck," Hermione huffed at the base of the stairs. "He'll just have to make it up later."  
  
"No he won't," Morgain stepped forward to pull Hermione out of the way so the boys could get off the staircase. "Dumbledore fixed it with the teachers, he won't skip a beat."  
  
"How do you know that?" Harry said putting down the case.  
  
"I have a few sources," she smiled. "I made this for you." She pulled a leather bound book out of her pocket and handed it to him.  
  
"Thank you, but what for?" Harry replied flipping through the blank pages.  
  
"So you can write what happens, that way your descendents won't have to depend on oral traditions." He watched her smile with the knowing expression she so often took, and put the book in his pocket.  
  
"Look in the spine." Morgain added. Harry pulled the book out of his pocket and flipped it around a few times confused. Morgain took it from him and pressed in the middle of the spine. Harry heard a small click and a secret spring loaded compartment revealed a miniature silver pen. "  
  
That way, you don't have to worry about spilling ink on the train." She replaced the pen into the book and gave it to him again. Harry accepted it in greater appreciation and smiled at her before picking up his load and heading through the portrait hole. 


	17. The Trial

The ride on the Hogwarts Express took most of the day, and since Dumbledore had left Harry in his own compartment for most of it, he felt a little board. Harry took out the book Morgain had given him several times, but just couldn't think of anything to write. Each time he put it back in his pocket wondering what he could have to write about. Harry changed into his nice wizard's robes as per instructions instead of muggle clothes. As the day drew to a close and the train pulled into London's King Cross station Harry grew nervous. A long green car met them outside the station and drove a ways into the country. Harry couldn't help but think it looked familiar.  
  
"This is the way to my Aunt's house," Harry informed a quiet Dumbledore as they passed a sign reading "Surrey." Dumbledore sat, reviewing papers he had brought with him. When they approached Privet Drive Harry was downright anxious, calming only when they slowly past it. They turned in two streets down, on Chestnut Lane. The car stopped in front of number 3 Chestnut Lane, the driver opened the door of the car and Harry followed Dumbledore around the side of the house to the basement door.  
  
"Mrs. Figg's house," Harry realized. Once inside Harry's eyes need time to adjust to the bright light. A young witch greeted them in a large foyer and led them down a corridor to a sitting room.  
  
"Wait here Harry. Get some rest if you can, this may take a while." Harry sank into a comfortable couch but was unable to rest. Dumbledore followed the witch further down the hall where he entered a side room. Harry watched many well dressed witches and wizards roam the halls and go in and out of the seemingly endless doors in the extended hallway. 'What sort of place is this', he thought aloud.  
  
"This is the division temporarily overseeing this trial for the ministry," a voice answered him. Harry turned to see a man, dressed in a well pressed black suit, shirt and tie. "Harry Potter I presume," she said holding out his hand.  
  
"Yes Sir," Harry shook the man's hand. "Pleasure to meet you. And you are?" The man surveyed Harry kindly, smiling at him.  
  
"No one of importance really, my name is Thomas Taylor. Are you nervous about testifying?"  
  
"A bit, but Dumbledore said not to be."  
  
"He's a wise man, and here he comes. I'll see you inside." Mr. Taylor left before Dumbledore reached Harry.  
  
"Everyone is gathered and ready to begin. Are you awake enough for this." Dumbledore asked. Harry was alert in anticipation of these proceedings and nodded, then followed Dumbledore down the hallway through carved wooden doors bearing the images of unicorns and tigers. Harry was amazed with how bright and white everything was in the room.  
  
About thirty long tables, each with five chairs were set on tiers of increasing height. The bottom of this auditorium was flat, but lined with chairs as were the sides of the room. In the center of that bottom floor a witness box stood next to a taller desk draped with purple cloth. The witches and wizards who occupied the desks spoke formally with one another in hushed voices.  
  
Two larger desks stood before the large one in the middle. Cornelius Fudge sat at the closest one, rummaging through papers and giving orders to a young man. The other desk Dumbledore stood behind.  
  
"Harry, you are to sit over there," indicating a chair to the side of the room. Harry sat there watching the ministry members. Mr. Weasley, sitting near the back caught his attention with a wave. Harry was grateful to see a compassionate face. Suddenly a loud voice echoed through the chamber.  
  
"This court will come to order. The honorable Judge Taylor presiding." Everyone in the room got to their feet as the man who had approached Harry in the hall walked in the door and took his place at the center, purple clad table.  
  
"Please be seated," he instructed. "Today we have an unusual case before us which requires a three fourths majority, as is the custom. The defendant will now enter.  
  
Genevieve tentatively entered the courtroom, standing at the bottom of an arena full of ministry officials, escorted by Hagrid. She could feel herself shaking from the inside and took deep breaths in an attempt to control it. She stood, as was the custom, in the front of the room, clinging to the bars of the witness box. Harry was grateful when Hagrid then sat beside him. Opening statements began for the prosecution.  
  
"Witches and Wizards," began Fudge, "I present to you the part-boggart known only as Genevieve. It stands before you today accused of aiding You Know Who." Genevieve couldn't stop trembling and sank to her knees. Fudge turned and spoke directly to her,  
  
"You will stand to show respect for these proceedings."  
  
"I have shown respect for your office by consistently taking the Stabilizing Solution, stripping me of my ability to transform, for over six weeks. Because of it I lack the strength to stand. I ask for your forgiveness and indulgence while I kneel here." There were murmurs throughout the audience, and Fudge agreed reluctantly to leave her where she was.  
  
"In addition to deciding Its guilt or innocents it is our duty to verify the evidence It has brought in defense of Sirius Black. In fact that is truly the heart of the matter because being part-boggart there is no need for these proceedings, and it is only at the insistence of the Defense that It has been kept alive to be questioned before you concerning this supposed new evidence. The Defense may try to cloud this issue with sentimental stories and irrelevant and dangerously optimistic fairy-tales but I ask you to keep in mind always the truth regarding Its species and Its actions." Fudge sat smugly in his seat turning the floor to Dumbledore.  
  
"What most people believe to be fairy-tales Genevieve, and those who know her, perceive as facts. Here you see not an It, not just a part-boggart, but a part-witch who came to us with a plan to defeat Voldemort once and for all. In fact, it was the very plan she spent years developing with James and Lily Potter while they lived. I believe it to be a plan that would have worked had it been given a chance. Genevieve kneels before you having committed no crime but at risk to her own life delivered a crucial piece of evidence for Sirius Black which you will see. She had nothing to gain from doing so except to bring the truth to light. I ask that you keep your eyes and minds open for that truth leaving behind any preconceptions you may have about what she is, looking instead on who she is." Dumbledore stooped down and helped Genevieve to a chair beside him, while Fudge stood and called,  
  
"George Fransin to the stand." An elderly wizard with a short white beard and neatly pressed robes stood in the witness box. "Mr. Fransin. Please tell me what you witnessed the accused do eighteen years ago just outside Godric's Hollow."  
  
"Yes sir," he stammered a bit while he spoke although he eagerly told his story. "I saw that creature there," pointing to Genevieve, "look'n just like that on the ground diggin' in the underbrush by my property. Well, I went up to her, thinkin' it was either a witch or a lost muggle girl and asked what she was up to. Well, she changed into this bear and came runnin' after me and didn' stop until I got to my cabin. I summoned the ministry magic control right away but they couldn' do nothing about it," he shifted his weight uncomfortably when he looked at Genevieve who was writing a note. "That thing there is dangerous. It would have killed me without a second thought, like all of them creatures." Mr. Fransin was visibly upset as he relayed the story.  
  
"Thank you Mr. Fransin, that will be enough." Fudge said, then turned the witness over to the Defense. Dumbledore summoned to him the paper on which Genevieve had been writing, took a moment to read it and then slowly approached the witness box.  
  
"Mr. Fransin, I understand you lived next to the old Potter House is that correct?"  
  
"Yes," Mr. Fransin answered shiftily.  
  
"When you say you saw Genevieve by your property you mean she was on the Potter's land, where she resided at the time?"  
  
"Why them Potters would harbor a known species of killers is beyond me."  
  
"Just answer the question. She was on the land she belonged to?"  
  
"I suppose so."  
  
"Wasn't it you who first trespassed onto their property, Mr. Fransin?"  
  
"I never gone in that forest, it's cursed."  
  
"Are you sure you didn't go over there just to pick a few of their berries and valuable herbs."  
  
"What," Mr. Fransin was now very uncomfortable and openly angry. "I never done no such thing."  
  
"You are sworn to tell the truth here."  
  
After much delay Mr. Fransin finally admitted, "All right, I snitched a berry or two. No harm in that but that thing almost mauled me and my family."  
  
"Genevieve was protecting her friends land from thieves and didn't actually hurt you or anyone else did she?"  
  
Mr. Fransin sat with his arms folded across his chest wholly irate until he was released to step down. Fudge then called Argus Filch, Hogwarts caretaker, to the stand.  
  
"Mr. Filch, you work at Hogwarts do you not?" Fudge inquired.  
  
"I do sir."  
  
"Do you remember a time when Genevieve attended there?"  
  
"Yes sir. I kept a close eye on that one. Bad feeling about her. She was always slinking around the furniture and the bathrooms. I caught her going into the Dark Forest a couple of times." It was obvious that Fudge had called Filch to assassinate her character.  
  
"What was she doing in the Dark Forest, as it is forbidden to students."  
  
"She was meeting with some ghosts, they always seemed to follow her around. From the looks of it they were having tea." The crowd began to laugh. It seems the answer was odd enough that Fudge concluded his questioning. Then Dumbledore had a few questions. Filch was uncomfortable facing his employer in such a fashion.  
  
"Argus, do you recall why she was having tea with ghosts?"  
  
"I did hear part of their conversation. They were trying to help the North Tower Ghosts pass on. She was the ghost with the baby who cried all night up there."  
  
"I remember that particular ghost. I also know what happened to her the night before Genevieve left the school. You were there, would you like to tell us what that was." Filch glanced hopelessly at Fudge before beginning his testimony.  
  
"Genevieve finally quieted the baby by pulling a ghost toy out of that bag of hers. When it laughed for the first time both of the spirits were released and they were no longer ghosts."  
  
"Thank you very much Argus. That is all I have for you."  
  
Before Fudge could call his next witness Dumbledore turned to the long line of those ready to testify against Genevieve to ask a very probing question.  
  
"If you are not willing to subject your testimony to the rigors of truth serum or if your story purposely omits parts to cast a shadow over Genevieve I ask for you to step down and leave these proceedings or face prosecution yourselves."  
  
The group cast their eyes around at each other and the ministers, then last of all at Genevieve. One by one all of them filed out of the court room. Harry was so impressed by the scene he had to stop himself from cheering. Fudge was flabbergasted and struggled with his notes to regain composure.  
  
"Then I call Genevieve to the stand." Fudge said loudly. Genevieve walked with the assistance of the guards who stood by the door and was given a chair to sit in before  
  
Fudge found the paper with his questions for her. "Under what pretense did you stay in the Potter House?"  
  
"These was no pretense, sir. My parents worked for Grandpa Potter, and I was raised there along side James."  
  
"That is not quite the truth is it? You too worked for them."  
  
"That is true. I was a companion and protector for James."  
  
"In fact, you were a slave of the Potter family isn't that true?"  
  
Genevieve hung her head and interlaced her fingers. Closing her eyes with a deep breath she answered, "Technically, yes."  
  
"Then you do have a motive for He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named to resurface. Did he promise you a release from slavery? Did you help murder your masters and now you want to see their son dead too?"  
  
"It wasn't like that at all," Genevieve began quickly. "On paper my family 'belonged' to the Potter's because centuries ago my kind was not allowed to marry unless we did. In reality we were always treated as equals."  
  
"Is there any proof of that?"  
  
Dumbledore stood in interruption and addressed the court, "I beg the pardon of this court, but I hold in my hand the proof."  
  
Fudge tried to stammer his protests but was overruled by the curious majority of ministry members.  
  
"I have here two documents. Genevieve will you read aloud the first one." He handed to her the crumbling old parchment which she began to read.  
  
"Notice of Ownership. The part-boggart family consisting of the members listed below, their ancestors and all descendants hereby belong to the Potter family, their ancestors and descendants, so long as both shall continue to exist." She then began reading the names of her ancestors until Dumbledore stopped her.  
  
"Does your name appear on that document, Genevieve?"  
  
"Yes sir, it is the last entry amended to this contract on the date of my birth."  
  
"Very well, will you now read this contract?" She read that one as well.  
  
"The Last Will and Testament of James and Lily Potter." Dumbledore pointed on the page where to skip to. "After a long and faithful service in which both parties have benefited greatly, we hereby release Genevieve of all contractual obligations to the Potter family while retaining the protection afforded her by us. We do this with grateful hearts and sincere thanks in friendship." She stopped reading to wipe a tear from her cheek.  
  
"It sounds as though you were close," Dumbledore prompted her to press forward through the emotions.  
  
"Yes," Genevieve smiled. "To be honest, I thought I was somehow related to James until I was eleven we were brought up so closely together."  
  
"What happened when you were eleven?" Dumbledore asked.  
  
"I was prepared to go to school with James, but my parents told me it would not be wise."  
  
Fudge then retook the floor with his question.  
  
"You did go to Hogwarts eventually didn't you?"  
  
"Yes, about ten years later."  
  
"Didn't the other children wonder why someone so old was in their class?" Fudge set her up.  
  
"When one can choose their own appearance age is no issue."  
  
"So you deceived everyone around you and used treachery to infiltrate Hogwarts." He accused.  
  
"I only wanted to learn what I could from such a fine school. But all I really learned was that my parents were right.it was unwise for me to go." Fudge sat down and gave Genevieve a look of disgust then vigorously took notes on some parchment. From what Harry could see Fudge was planning a slanderous and emotionally charged closing statement. Dumbledore then stood to address the court again.  
  
"I am finished with this witness for now, but reserve the right to recall her later. I assume, since there are no more who prepared to testify against Genevieve that I may produce Genevieve's evidence, Wormtail."  
  
Whispers filled the hall that mounted to a loud roar as the small cage containing the rat was produced. The rat was placed in the witness box, Genevieve had just vacated. With a wave of his wand Dumbledore forced Wormtail to take his human shape. Those in the audience gasped in disbelief, and those who had known Peter Pettigrew in his youth leaned forward for a closer look. Dumbledore ignored all this and started straight into questioning.  
  
"Would you state your name for the record?"  
  
"Peter Pettigrew." He stuttered. He brought his hands together and then thrust them into his pockets to hide his glistening silver hand, a gift to him from the Dark Lord.  
  
"Given the fact that you are alive I think you have a lot of explaining to do. Why don't you just start from the beginning." Dumbledore was confident while in contrast Pettigrew shivered in his seat while he began his story. Harry was pleased to hear him start from the very beginning, with his spying for You-Know-Who.  
  
His account continued through his being made secret keeper and betraying the Potters, to setting up Sirius by zapping open the street the changing into a rat. He said it all with very little prodding from Dumbledore although his audience was dumbstruck. Harry watched the ministry members faces contort when they heard Pettigrew's treachery.  
  
Some stared in disbelief shaking their heads, hardly blinking. Others were taking fervent notes. But one ministry member seemed to be searching for something in her purse. Once Pettigrew had finished this particular ministry member stood before Fudge had a chance for rebuttal. The room quieted when the others saw her standing, and when she approached the front of the room her light footstep was the only sound that echoed in the room. Pettigrew trembled at her advance and stared at the door. Harry fingered his wand, just in case the rat should attempt escape.  
  
"Peter," the woman whispered. "Do you know who I am?" The voices were low but the silence carried them to the back row with ease.  
  
"Yes, you are my sister Patricia Pettigrew." He could not meet her gaze and looked intently past her to the door.  
  
"If that is true, tell me what this is." She opened her palm to reveal a small charm bracelet with four small trinkets attached to it. It pained Pettigrew to see it and his voice faltered.  
  
"I gave that to you on your sixth birthday. I gave you that charm," he pointed to one in the shape of a house, "when you were scared to move to a new home." He then indicated a larger on resembling a tree. "That one I gave you when I left for school and that one when you turned eleven and came to Hogwarts as well." Peter and Patricia began to cry together. She pointed to the next charm, a heart, and cried a little louder.  
  
"And this one?"  
  
"I gave to you as my promise to be your big brother forever." Peter trembled, but answered unmistakably.  
  
"Then where were you all these years. I got married, I have children. All of these things you missed and why, because you were a rat. I really could have used a big brother these last fourteen years."  
  
At these words she turned from him and walked up the stairs to her seat. Several people she passed offered her a hand of comfort. Fudge on the other hand was flustered. All of the questions he had prepared were no longer appropriate following that display, so after several attempts to conceive a question, he had to sit down without having asked one.  
  
Dumbledore turned to Harry, who began to stand up ready to be called as the next witness, but the words he said indicated otherwise. Peter was then again transformed into a rat, caged, and removed from the courtroom.  
  
"Would Genevieve be willing to answer a few more questions?" Genevieve looked up at him from where she sat.  
  
"If it is possible for me to remain seated?" Everyone witnessed her to be intensely exhausted from the extended exposure to the Stabilizing solution as well as this ordeal and granted her wish.  
  
"The question I believe everyone here wants answered is why Peter Pettigrew has come forward and now chooses to tell the truth?" Genevieve turned in her seat to face the crowd and appeared to be suppressing a chuckle.  
  
"He believes that if he tells a lie he will melt from the inside out, causing a very slow and excruciating death." Gasps from the audience held both amazement and disgust.  
  
"And why would he believe that?"  
  
"If you will allow me a brief moment to catch my breath I will explain." She only continued after he, and the majority of the onlookers took the attitude of intense interest.  
  
"Peter is unaware of the limits Old Magic places on its practitioners, such as myself. From what he has seen it appears limitless. Once he confided that to me I pretended to conjure a very powerful enchantment which he supposes is on him. Although there is no such thing it was the incentive he needed to tell the truth.  
  
"Old Magic has limits?" Fudge couldn't help but interject.  
  
"Of course, there are boundaries. In fact Old Magic's foundation is based on understanding what one can and cannot do." Fudge sat back down, and Dumbledore spoke again.  
  
"I have only one more witness." Harry prepared himself to be addressed. "Mr. Alastor Moody." Harry looked confused as from across the room Mad Eye Moody clumped to the front of the room.  
  
"What do you see when you look at Genevieve, Alastor?" Mr. Moody's magic eye swung in the direction of Genevieve, who looked back at him with obvious fear.  
  
"I see," he hesitated searching for the right words, "a woman older that she appears, with a haze around her."  
  
"Is that typical of part boggarts?"  
  
"Yes, I recognize that look from dealing with them years ago."  
  
"When Peter Pettigrew sat up here, what did you see?"  
  
"Besides a coward. he looks like a wizard. Just a wizard."  
  
"Thank you." Dumbledore sat and Fudge stood angrily.  
  
"Where did you get your experience recognizing part-boggarts, Mr. Moody?"  
  
"As an auror. After their extermination order was signed I hunted them for several years. Caught and executed twenty five of them. Actually, twenty four since this one seems to have gotten away." Harry realized why the fear was frozen on Genevieve's face, as Mad Eye Moody had been the auror who'd killed her parents.  
  
"Tell me, why was there such an order written against them?" Fudge sneered.  
  
"As most everyone here remembers, they were scary and dangerous times. Having things floating around with their powers was just too dangerous."  
  
"Thank you." It was obvious Fudge had hoped for a more damaging explanation, but would settle for that and sat down. Thomas Tyler then addressed the crowd.  
  
"I believe these proceedings have gone by much faster than anyone could have hoped. Let us break for a small meal and only voting ministry members will be allowed back in for closing statements and voting in twenty minutes." A crack of his gavel unleashed a whirlwind of voices, everyone energetically about what they just saw. Hagrid and Harry past by Genevieve with her head down on the desk and went back into the hall where they found muffins and pumpkin juice. Twenty minutes past like twenty seconds and soon they were almost alone in the hall. Harry kicked the wall anxiously.  
  
"I can't stand to just wait out here, I need to do something. Dumbledore didn't even call me to tell them how she saved my life." Hagrid, taking up most of the couch he sat on, spoke sleepily from beneath his beard.  
  
"Seems he didn't need it. With all of Fudge's witnesses leaving like that, weakening the evidence against her and all." Harry continued to pace impatiently.  
  
"Hey I've got an idea. Let's go by the Dursley's while we're waiting." Hagrid just about hit his head on the ceiling he stood up so fast. "Not really," Harry backtracked quickly. "They would keel over dead of nerves if they knew this was here, so close to their house. Wait a minute, this is here because I was there isn't it." Harry tried to contain his agitation at again being left out of the loop yet again. He spotted the witch who had greeted him when he first cam in and stopped her. "How long has all this been here?"  
  
"It was expanded for today's events just last week." She answered frankly.  
  
"But before then?"  
  
"It was merely a satellite office that served as an inconspicuous overflow for several departments."  
  
"So why was this place chosen to do all this stuff now."  
  
"Several higher ranking officials were already stationed here and it is a central location, why do you ask?"  
  
"Just wondered," Harry pretended and she continued down the hall. Harry turned to Hagrid, though the giant spoke first.  
  
"Settle down Harry. So a few ministry members wanted to look out for you, make sure that followers of You-Know-Who never came by. Calm yourself, and set by me a bit. It's nearly three in the morning and I'm betting you didn't sleep getting here." Harry plopped onto the couch and leaned against his large friend, his arms folded and feet up on the couch. "Just rest here a bit Harry, and keep in mind the reason we're here." Once Harry closed his eyes he found that sleep overtook him quickly.  
  
The seat Harry leaned against then gave way as Hagrid stood while talking to Mr. Weasley. Waves of exhausted ministry members filed past them and entered small rooms off the hall.  
  
"Sorry to wake you Harry," Hagrid apologized. "The ministry made their decision." His face appeared grave and Harry braced himself. Hagrid fumbled for words before Mr. Weasley sat beside Harry to explain it to him.  
  
"Harry, I have some great news. The ministry voted nearly unanimously that Genevieve's evidence is real and that Peter Pettigrew, not Sirius Black betrayed your parents." Harry smiled up at Mr. Weasley who put an arm around him instead of smiling back.  
  
"After all the preparation what finally convinced them was Patricia recognizing him. The greatest debate now lies in what to do with Genevieve."  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"Many people believe she still poses a great risk to security."  
  
"Risk, she is the one who risked everything to bring in Peter, and she's the only one with a great plan for getting the Death Eaters out of the Dark Forest." Harry's voice rose in anxiety.  
  
"I know that, but the majority is still unsure. Some of the people in there still want to see her dead, others are arguing for banishment or Azkaban." Harry looked up at him horrified.  
  
"Isn't there anything Dumbledore can do?" Harry pleaded.  
  
"I'm afraid he had to leave. The Death Eaters around the school are getting bolder, pressing forward. One report said they found a way through the barrier." Horrible images of Death Eaters waging war against Hogwarts once Dumbledore had gone flashed through Harry's mind. "I have one more hint of good news. During these negotiations Genevieve didn't have to take the next dose of Stabilizing Solution so she's not shaking anymore."  
  
"Can I see her?"  
  
"If all goes well, you'll see her so often she'll be driving you crazy," Mr. Weasley tried to cheer Harry up. "They will be voting in an hour and which ever way it goes you have a ticket for the next train to school. Try to get some rest until then." Mr. Weasley left Harry with Hagrid and entered the door next to the couch.  
  
"Hagrid. Why did Dumbledore bring me all the way here to do nothing?" Harry leaned into the thick coat of his friend.  
  
"To know for sure, you will have to ask him, but from what I saw there was enough without you." Harry sat trying to remember everything that had happened in the trial. Everything had moved so quickly and seemingly in Genevieve's favor. 'This isn't fair' he thought to himself. When the hour had passed wizards and witches emerged from the side rooms, making their way back to the courtroom. Harry studied their faces in hopes of discerning what the outcome would be but could not tell. After most of them had disappeared behind the carved doors Harry stood outside them, straining to hear what was going on. A kindly voice spoke from behind him and Harry swung around to see who it was.  
  
"If you are that interested in these proceedings why don't you just slip in, take the first seat next to the door," Thomas Tyler instructed, then opened the door and walked to the judges bench up front. Before the door shut Harry took Mr. Tyler's advice. Harry strained to see Genevieve sitting upright at the desk, Dumbledore's chair vacant. Mr. Tyler shattered the eerie silence, speaking directly to Genevieve.  
  
"Before the judgment of this court is announced would you like to say a few words?" Genevieve slowly rose to her feet and took three steps toward Mr. Tyler, then turned to face the ministry.  
  
"It has been my pleasure to come before you this day." Her voice was clear and her posture stable, though at great effort. "I have no more to say than has already been said except to thank you for your patience." She then sat down with a great sense of relief. Mr. Tyler then read from a large scroll.  
  
"It is the findings of this courtroom that the part-boggart Genevieve is to be released and live free in accordance to the will of James and Lily Potter. This is with the understanding that any minor infraction of the law or failure to report while on probation will result in immediate incarceration at Azkaban followed by execution." He then looked over the scroll at her adding "Do you understand all this."  
  
"Yes sir."  
  
"And what do you plan to do now?" Genevieve stood behind the desk using it to support her weight."  
  
"After arranging my affairs in Britain, I plan to return to America to live with my late-husband's family."  
  
"Very well. Case dismissed." The bang of the gavel ignited the voices of everyone in the room as they pushed out of the chamber. Genevieve however stayed sitting until everyone else had left, except Harry. She sat there in deep thought, turning a metal object over in her hands which occasionally flashed in the light. She stood slowly and limped toward the door only stopping when she saw Harry.  
  
"Did they tell you what happened?" She asked him.  
  
"I saw it," Harry admitted. Hagrid ducked under the doorway, apparently having been looking for Harry and very anxious when he spoke.  
  
"I just got word from Dumbledore and have to get Hogwarts immediately, would you mind taking the train back yourself Harry?"  
  
"I'll go with him Hagrid," Genevieve offered, "I'm going on the same train anyway." Hagrid turned to leave when Genevieve stopped him. "Hagrid, do you by chance know who won the Quidditch cup?" Slightly startled by the frivolity of such a question at this time Hagrid stuttered,  
  
"R-r-ravenclaw."  
  
"That's marvelous, thank you." Hagrid hesitated only for a moment and then ran out of the building so quickly Harry could feel the floor vibrating with each of his massive steps. Harry looked incredulously at Genevieve.  
  
"Why are you happy? We're Gryffindors, if only I had caught the snitch in that first game," he brooded.  
  
"You may be a Gryffindor. It's good to see my old house win for a change". She smiled as she threw something gold into the air, caught it then tossed it into her bag. 


	18. Nice to see you again Petunia

"Why are you taking the train, why not use the watch?" Harry looked at Genevieve inquisitively walking beside her as she left the room and went down the hall. She was quiet until they had exited the basement doors, stepping into the light of dawn.  
  
"Because we need to go somewhere else first." Carsy, standing by the hedge, caught her attention. Genevieve held her bag open and the house elf jumped in. "Now Harry, do you think your Aunt and Uncle would be willing to give us a lift into London?" Harry thought not, but had wanted to see the look on their faces since the night before and so led the way two streets down to Privet Drive.  
  
"It is number four, there." Harry pointed.  
  
"I remember now." She let Harry go first up the walk and ring the bell. After a few minutes a sleepy eyed Petunia clinging to her bath robe with her hair pinned up in curlers answered the door. When she saw Harry she was jolted awake and spoke severely.  
  
"What are you doing here, boy. Did you finally get yourself expelled from that school of yours? Get inside before the neighbors see you. Imagine, coming here dressed like." Harry just stood there but Petunia stopped yelling when she saw Genevieve limping slowly up the walk behind Harry.  
  
"Pardon the intrusion Ma'am," Genevieve said politely, placing a hand on Harry's shoulder. "Harry, your aunt offered for us to get inside, out of the view of her neighbors. It would be rude to refuse." Harry looked up at Genevieve and enjoyed the smug look on her face as they crossed the threshold and closed the door behind them.  
  
"Petunia I presume," Genevieve continued. Her manor reminded Harry of the many verbal cartwheels she and Sir. Nicholas often preformed. "Lily told me so much about you, but we have met before. Right before her wedding wasn't it." Petunia still stood by the door and nodded.  
  
"You haven't aged a day," Petunia stuttered.  
  
"That is very kind of you to say." Genevieve thanked her.  
  
"I mean it, not even a little." Harry was inwardly amazed at the apprehension Genevieve's mere presence aroused in his Aunt.  
  
"You flatter me," Genevieve pretended the statement was meant as a complement yet again. "I don't wish to take up much of your time, but young Mr. Potter and I need to use your telephone to call a cab. As much fun as it would be to relive old times we need to be off to London." Genevieve smiled but Petunia gasped, probably fearing what her neighbors and the cab driver would think seeing these two the way they were dressed.  
  
"The phone is in there. But wouldn't you like to change into more comfortable clothes?"  
  
"That is very considerate of you. I'm sure I have a traveling cloak in my bag. Have you got one in your suitcase Harry?" This was obviously not what Petunia had in mind.  
  
"Don't bother calling the taxi, get in the car before it gets too light and I'll take you to the closest underground station." She ran upstairs quickly and Genevieve gave Harry a knowing wink and a smile. They heard rushed voices upstairs while Petunia tried to explain the situation to Vernon, as well as her protesting that he go downstairs, but he bumbled down them anyway.  
  
"What do you think you're doing," he yelled purple faced.  
  
"Nice to see you again," she greeted him. "We were just passing by and wanted to telephone a cab when your generous wife offered us a lift. Don't worry, she won't be long." She steered Harry out the door before he could laugh at the sputtering noises coming from Uncle Vernon. They got to the car before Aunt Petunia and found it locked.  
  
"Harry, would you please unlock the door." Harry grinned at the opportunity to use magic here and pulled his wand out.  
  
"No" Petunia screamed, running down the driveway while Genevieve and Harry stood by the car. She got in front slamming the door shut popped the lock on the back seat.  
  
"You are not to use magic around here, boy. And you.," she turned toward Genevieve, "stay away from my family." She pulled out of the driveway and sped out of the village, toward London.  
  
"I am very sorry for the inconvenience and appreciate your help." Genevieve sat back and pulled from her bag a bar of chocolate and a small box. Harry peeked in the bag expecting to see Carsy in there, but to his surprise it was completely empty. At the next stop light Genevieve leaned forward to speak quietly to Petunia. "Before your sister died, she wanted you to have this." Genevieve handed Petunia the box, but she dropped it like hot metal, ignoring her passengers. Harry fingered the bag and whispered to Genevieve,  
  
"Why is it empty?" But Genevieve just pressed her finger to her lips, smiling with her eyes.  
  
"Lily said that it is very valuable, but couldn't find the right occasion to send it," Genevieve indicated the box now riding shotgun. As they approached the closest Underground station the car stopped for a train. Petunia reached for the box and opened it cautiously. Harry could see it flash in the light, realizing that this was what Genevieve had been fingering after the trial.  
  
A large, solid gold oval locket on a heavy gold rope chain that snaked its way around the bottom of the box accompanied a small pair of earrings, and a note. Petunia read the note until the cars behind her honked because the train had long since passed. She pulled off the side of the road and opened the locket. Each half held a black and white photograph, that didn't move, as well as a swatch of blonde hair. Harry noticed that in one picture the locket hung on the neck of a beautiful young woman. The other photograph was of a man dressed in a black suit with a kind smile. For the first time Harry could ever remember Petunia's heart was touched and she began to cry. "Thank you Petunia, we can walk from here." Genevieve opened the door and held it for Harry as he got out. Petunia then opened her door and still clutching the locket surprised Harry by giving Genevieve a hug. Then she turned to him smiling, put the necklace around her long neck and hugged him. "I'm sorry," she whispered before getting back into the car. Harry and Genevieve rode the Underground amid stares from the other passengers getting off at King's Cross station.  
  
Genevieve led Harry directly and silently to platform 9, and they disappeared together onto platform 9 ¾ before she said another word, which was to the ticket agent. "Two tickets please." She passed him several sickles she retrieved from her seemingly empty bag. Harry watched the train pull into the station. It was not, however the Scarlet Hogwarts Express train he usually rode. Rather its sign read London-Hogsmeade 405. Great billows of steam rose from beneath the engines wheels as it halted to let off and take on passengers. Harry found them a compartment near the back and put the luggage on, then helped Genevieve aboard. Genevieve opened her bag and Carsy jumped out as the train pulled away from the platform. Carsy's large eyes searched every inch of the compartment before Genevieve spoke freely though with great solemnity.  
  
"Sirius has been hurt. He is at the Potter house and we need to get him, as well as a few supplies, before we go back to Hogwarts. Hagrid's fear before he left has me a bit unsettled so we must prepare ourselves for anything. In the mean time, you and I need to sleep. Carsy, please wake us up before we get to Godric's Hollow." She then pulled a pillow out of her bag for Harry and a metal cube, which she opened and dissolved into.  
  
"Mr. Harry Potter Sir," Carsy squeaked into his ear. "It's time to wake up." Harry lay across three seats, not quite aware of where he was. "Young Sir." Harry began to remember what had just transpired with the trial and that he was on a train to his ancestor's home and sat up quickly.  
  
"Are we there?" He asked rubbing his eyes and looking around the compartment. "Where's Genevieve."  
  
"She will be right back, young sir." As she said so Genevieve slid open the door and stepped inside. Harry was amazed at how refreshed she looked and that none of her limp remained.  
  
"Good, you're up. The conductor said we will arrive within a few minutes. Gather your things. As soon as the train stops we must run, there isn't much time." She picked up the pillow Harry had used and put it into her bag, while Harry fiddled with the latch on his suitcase. The brakes of the train screeched and Genevieve grabbed the suitcase and put it in her sack as well. Before the train had even come to a complete stop Genevieve leapt from it and onto the platform.  
  
Harry and Carsy jumped as well and ran after her retreating cloak. At the edge of town they found Genevieve waiting for them before entering a dense forest. She jumped from stone to stone, ran along paths and ducked behind trees until Harry wasn't sure where he was going and would have been lost if Carsy hadn't been along side him. Almost out of nowhere though, just around another bunch a trees, a large mansion appeared. At first it was hard to tell where the forest ended and the house began until Harry realized there was no division.  
  
The trees grew through the windows and long entangling vines covered the walls. Genevieve waited for them at the door which had been pushed open by trees and now revealed little more than a crawl space entrance to the home. Genevieve and then Harry and Carsy climbed inside the dark rooms. Harry took a moment for his eyes to adjust but Genevieve and Carsy pushed through the vines growing inside the house creating a path for him to follow. Harry marveled at the immensity of the entrance hall as well as the décor.  
  
As he meandered through the house he was distracted by a large portrait, almost untouched by the greenery that had overtaken the rest of the house. In it an elderly gentleman was sleeping, though his hair had no trace of gray his age was revealed by the wrinkles in his face and hands. He was sitting in a large, high backed chair resting his head backwards and snoring softly.  
  
From a room to the left of him he could hear Genevieve pushing furniture around and followed the sound. When he found her she had just finished pulling open a large bookcase that had hid a secret library. Large books with faded titles lined the shelves. In the room was a large wooden conference table surrounded by twelve chairs. About it books and papers were strewn.  
  
Through the center of the table ran a crack originating from a tree that had grown through the middle of it. Other than that the space was quite clean, except for the fireplace. Carsy picked up a dust pail and broom to clean it up but ceased abruptly with Genevieve's command "not now." From behind the fire pokers she extracted a broken white brick that perfectly matched the materials used in making the fireplace. For some strange reason Harry seemed to know what to do with it.  
  
"That goes up there," he pointed above the mantle where there was a small gap in the brickwork. Genevieve spun around impressed.  
  
"You remember?"  
  
"I'm not sure, it just feels familiar." Even Carsy was a bit surprised, but Genevieve just smiled and handed him the brick. He put it in the hole, where it fit perfectly with a click. Beside the fireplace another hidden passage revealed itself behind a bookcase.  
  
"How many secret passages and rooms does this place have," Harry asked astounded.  
  
"More than even I know about," Genevieve answered, pulling the bookcase door open.  
  
"And that is saying something" Carsy added jokingly.  
  
The door now open revealed a smaller room bare of any furnishing, painted stark white. No shrubberies dared venture into this room so the only color in the room was the dirt the three of them tracked into the room. Curled in the corner lay Sirius, holding his side, a small pool of blood beside him staining the white floor. Harry ran to him, while Genevieve searched in her bag for a potion.  
  
"Sirius," she spoke to him gently though he was unresponsive. "We came as quickly as we could. Harry, please hold up his head." Harry slid his leg under Sirius' head and Genevieve slowly poured a golden slimy fluid down his throat. "No worries, you will be just fine now." She continued to offer words of comfort as she bound the wound on his side and waited for the potion to take effect.  
  
Nearly ten minutes passed before the first flutter of his eyes. Five minutes afterward he could sit up, a few more and he could speak.  
  
"Thank you." He coughed.  
  
"You are most welcome. What happened?" Genevieve asked offering him more of the potion. He drank some before continuing.  
  
"I forgot about Old Man Potter's traps. I got within arms reach of those scrolls but was sucked into here before Carsy could stop me. I presume the trial turned out in your favor." Sirius assumed.  
  
"Mostly. I escaped death and Azkaban, but it was a close one. They put me on probation on threat of death if I break it. But the better news is yours."  
  
"Really?" Sirius smiled. Harry couldn't help but break it to Sirius himself.  
  
"They believe Wormtail is Pettigrew. You have been cleared." Harry cheered, as did Sirius. Genevieve brought the conversation to a more serious note however.  
  
"Sirius, I believe the death eaters are going to attack Hogwarts very soon."  
  
"How do you know?" Sirius asked.  
  
"I read it in Hagrid's fears. The time has come for some drastic action."  
  
"But what about your probation?" Harry asked. "You told them you were going to go back to America."  
  
"After I set my affairs here in order that is just what I intend to do." Then she swept out of the door with Sirius and Harry close on her heels. 


	19. All is fair in Love and War

Genevieve moved through the house as though the fifteen years separated from it never existed. Down cracked marble staircases and through barely passable hallways they traveled with such haste Harry was not able to ask where they were going, until they stood outside a heavily armored door.  
  
"Where are we?" Harry panted.  
  
"My old room." Genevieve glowed with seeing it again.  
  
"James would have given most anything to get inside here." Sirius laughed.  
  
"I know. A girl's room is a private reflection of who she is, constantly evolving as she does." She smirked while turning the key in the door. When she swung it forward torches on each wall ignited.  
  
Contained in the room were several motifs cleverly interwoven. First into view was an elegant wardrobe, with slim lines and golden handles. On the far wall antique chairs and side tables faced a modern chase lounge. But the wall by the door was the one most interesting to Genevieve, and when Harry saw it he knew why. It was covered with hanging swords, daggers and various knives of all description. Sirius chuckled when he saw it.  
  
"What does this say about who you are? I bet the ministry doesn't know about this."  
  
"If they did they wouldn't have let me off so easy," she laughed back pulling a long thin sword off the wall. "Choose your weapon." Sirius swung several broad swords until he found one that suited him. Harry approached the wall in apprehension, which Genevieve sensed.  
  
"I hope you won't need to use one of these, but we had better be prepared. You may want one of those," she pointed to several shorter swords. "They're light and fast but powerful. Grab a few daggers from above them as well." She pulled a whet stone and cloth out of a drawer and began to sharpen and polish the swords. Harry strapped on the sword as well as a smaller dagger in his sleeve.  
  
Genevieve then pulled a small jar of the illumination liquid out of her bag, and poured half of it into a basin. Sirius dipped his sword tip into it and Harry did the same with his weapons, as did Genevieve. After they had finished arming themselves and were about to leave Genevieve grabbed one more dagger, a small one with an ivory handle. She put it into a wooden casing that had four prongs, pulled her hair into a bun and fastened it with the dagger.  
  
Then, without a word they ran up a flight of stairs to a well lit arboretum whose roof had long since collapsed. Genevieve looked around her a bit lost, but Sirius took over. Under the floor board he unearthed a large bundle wrapped in leather. After opening it Harry was amazed to see it contained broomsticks unlike any he'd seen before. They were thin and lightweight, though made of cherry wood.  
  
Each bound its straight twigs together with leather straps, and their tips were carved with separate names for each. Sirius turned each over so their names shone in the light and stood by one with the engraving, Hercules. Instead of calling it to his hand with the word 'up', however he called it by its name. Genevieve chose one named Moranda and similarly it obeyed when called by its name. Harry spotted one named Pendragon, and it too complied.  
  
"Hogwarts is just north of here. If the barrier has fallen then we will be able to get through. If not there are friends of mine who can help us. Our goal, if the death eaters are attacking is to get as much of this Illumination Liquid on or in them as possible. It will display their guilt to themselves and others and prevent them from hiding beneath their hoods. Once they realize their anonymity is gone, they will disperse, give up, or fight harder. I only hope it's the first two."  
  
"Who can get us through the barrier if it is still up," Harry asked cautiously.  
  
"Ghosts," she answered. "A person can pass through the barrier if they are inside a ghost."  
  
"I almost hope it's already down," Harry shivered just thinking about purposely getting within a ghost.  
  
"No, you don't." Genevieve sighed. "It's not far, follow me." She took off straight up with Carsy hanging on her back followed by the others. Harry was dumbfounded with how well his broom handled.  
  
'Unless I'm imagining things', he thought to himself, 'this handles better than my firebolt'. He tested the brooms capabilities by speeding up, passing Sirius and Genevieve and then looping them both before flying beside Sirius. Genevieve tried to maintain the solemnity with which she had carried out the preparations for battle but could not help but break into laughter. She looped back to fly next to Harry and yelled,  
  
"I think you fly that broom better than your father." Harry felt proud. "How about we go kick the death eaters tails right out of that forest?" She and Harry laughed aloud and pushed their brooms even faster.  
  
Harry realized the barrier must have been dispelled only when Hogwarts loomed into view without them having to pass through it with ghosts. But he would rather stand in a ghost for an hour than see what was before him. Two giants doing battle on the Quidditch field wiped out half the stands in one blow. A large woman giant punched an even larger man sending him crashing down on more of the seating as well as landing on top of the three Quidditch goal posts on that side.  
  
It was nearing sunset and the forest looked like a city skyline, strewn with lanterns, fairies and ghosts who gave off their lights in an attempt to slow down the death eaters. The Dark Lord's followers were easily recognizable in their hooded long cloaks and wands out. Though Harry could only see them through the canopy of trees when he flew over them and they appeared to be isolated in the deeper recesses of the forest. Harry couldn't help but wish that Aragog and his band of giant spiders would grab them.  
  
As they swooped lower towards the castle Harry caught a close look at the lanterns. Instead of fire they were filled with Illumination Liquids and were stationed every few square feet in the forest. When they landed on the green they met Dumbledore accompanied by the teachers and Elden Eldrich with a few villagers standing guard.  
  
"At your service Headmaster," she bowed before him,  
  
"It is good to see you well and ready. There are but few of us willing or trained for combat and the ghosts tell me the Death Eaters are getting closer."  
  
"They will not get to the castle," Genevieve vowed drawing her sword, then, with such purpose that crowded out all other thoughts she ran into the forest, side by side with Sirius. The band of the villagers found their bravery and joined them.  
  
"Harry, please go to your common room with the other students." Dumbledore instructed him. Harry started to protest but then got an idea and flew up to the common room window.  
  
"What is that," Morgain screamed from inside, the tension among the students was justifiably high.  
  
"It's Harry," Ron recognized him and opened the window. "You should have stayed in London, Harry."  
  
"No Ron, this is just where I want to be. Well, not exactly." He ran up to the dormitory and began to rummage through his trunk.  
  
"What are you doing?" Ron had pursued him.  
  
"I'm going to help them," he answered pulling out his invisibility cloak and wrapping it around himself. He opened the window and remounted his broom.  
  
"Harry, that is suicide." Ron protested.  
  
"No Ron, this is life," and he pulled up the hood and took off through the window.  
  
Harry flew into the canopy of trees and landed softly in the branches. All around him were the liquid lanterns and no one in sight. Thinking of what he could do from up here he pulled out his wand and summoned to him several small rocks from the ground. He sat and waited quietly until he heard rustling leaves beneath him.  
  
Quietly Harry flicked his wand sending a rock toward the lantern above the Death Eater. It crashed into the glass splattering him with the potion. Instantly the Death Eaters skin glowed so that his face and hands could be seen through his robe. He screamed in agony trying to brush off the potion but ultimately ran away from the castle, though not in the direction from which he had come.  
  
'Wow', Harry thought to himself. 'Genevieve wasn't kidding'. The screams of the first Death Eater had attracted five more to Harry's hiding place. As silently as before he banished another of his rocks toward a second lantern and these, like the first, ran away shrieking. Harry leapt from tree to tree banishing Death Eaters in this fashion until the chink of metal on metal caught his attention. Harry flew in the direction of the noise and perched atop the branches. Below Genevieve and Sirius battled encircling Death Eaters with swords and wands. Spells blazed through the air toward Genevieve, which she reflected away with her sword.  
  
Sirius hurled spells back at them, but with little effect. Harry floated down, picked up a lantern and floated back up. After unscrewing the lid, he poured out the contents on every Death Eater who came in range. The odds better in their favor Sirius sliced through one follower of the Dark Lord and a few sword swishes from Genevieve later they traveled deeper into the forest unhindered.  
  
Harry was proud of what he had done, dropping the now empty jar, until he looked down and realized that he was no longer invisible. The Illumination Liquid had gotten into his hands which now glowed, and consequently he was visible against the darkening sky. He pulled off his invisibility cloak and tucked it into his belt flying back toward the castle. But hexes flew through the air. Harry dodged a good number of them but couldn't get away from them all, and one curse in particular sent him crashing through the tree branches and onto the forest floor.  
  
Harry drew his wand in one hand and his sword in the other, and began to dart through the trees toward the castle. Out of breath and strength Harry leaned against a tree, heaving.  
  
To his left he heard the voice he had hoped never to encounter again. Its serpent-like hiss was giving battle orders.  
  
"Once the way is clear I will show Dumbledore I am the most powerful wizard." It cackled.  
  
"There has been more resistance than we anticipated, Master," Voldemort's companion said apologetically. "There is magic in these woods we do not understand. It has made our best men flee when a glowing sap touches them. But have no fear, we will conquer."  
  
"Of course we will," Voldemort demanded harshly. "I must have Hogwarts." The voices moved closer to Harry, who held his breath. "What is that?" Voldemort questioned. Harry's glowing hands had given him away and before he could run long cords flew from Voldemort's wand and bound him to the tree he had hid behind. "Is it one of my cowardly followers, running away," Voldemort hissed coming to inspect his catch. "No," he morbidly cheered. "It is the brave Harry Potter."  
  
Voldemort spat Harry's last name into his face and smiled wickedly. Voldemort's companion shrunk back at the sight of Harry. Surveying Harry's wand and sword strapped to his side Voldemort cackled and slipped them out of the ropes. "It seems I remember something like this before Harry. But this time, I assure you, chivalry is dead." Voldemort raised his own wand.  
  
"crucio,"  
  
Harry's body convulsed against the ropes that bound him and howled as pain shot through every part of his body. Worst of all was faintly hearing Voldemort's laughing, morosely enjoying the pain he inflicted. Just as suddenly as the pain started it stopped, leaving Harry numb and weak.  
  
"I don't think I will kill you just yet. You may be useful alive." Voldemort whistled bringing down from the treetops a barn owl. He scrawled a letter, attached it to the owl's leg and instructed it to deliver the letter to Dumbledore. Harry groaned, wondering what Dumbledore would think of him sneaking out to join the fray.  
  
Voldemort left the Death Eater to guard him while returning to safety deeper in the forest. An hour past and the sun, now set, could not help give them light. Harry stood in the dark, tethered to the tree, his attempts at conversation with the Death Eater falling on deaf ears.  
  
Dully and then more pronounced the sound of clanking steel inched toward them. Harry yelled out, "Genevieve, Sirius," over here. Into a view came Sirius fighting sword to sword with a very persistent Death Eater. Seconds later Genevieve also pushed back her opponent into the small clearing in front of Harry. Sirius halted for a moment when he saw Harry's position but could not break away from his current fight, nor could Genevieve. They pushed and swung and scraped, but their rivals were also very skilled with the blades they wielded.  
  
Genevieve swung a heavy blow to her foes shoulder, temporarily knocking him off balance. In that split second she reached into her hair, pulled out the dagger she had hidden there and hurled it through the air. It found its mark as it plunged straight into the chest of the Death Eater guarding Harry.  
  
As the fighting grew near in front, Voldemort slithered up from behind. He untied Harry from the tree but keeping him bound carried him over his shoulder deeper into the trees. Harry struggled against his bonds, still weak from the crucio curse. His thoughts raced faster than his heart until they collapsed on an idea. Old magic didn't need wands, just an intense focus of the mind.  
  
He controlled his breathing and began to think. He'd done some magic before he knew he was a wizard, and even inflated Aunt Marge without aid of a wand. If ever there was a need for such powers, it was now. Harry concentrated, pushing out all other thoughts, focusing only on the ropes. Voldemort jostled his load and as he did so Harry felt the ropes loosen. Struggling and focusing against them once more Harry slipped his arms out. He reached into his sleeves and extracted the small dagger hidden there. He looked at its glow for a moment, then, steeling up his nerve with more deep breaths jammed it into Voldemort's back with as much force as he could muster.  
  
Voldemort stumbled forward dropping Harry, as well as Harry's wand and sword. He shimmied out of the ropes, grabbed his wand and sword and rushed toward the castle. Harry heard a loud bang behind him, and turned to look only for a moment. Voldemort, spread on the ground bleeding had sent in the air the Dark Mark. Death Eaters, no longer interested in fighting, ran toward their master not noticing Harry going the other way. When Harry could see the Herbology greenhouses he let out a sigh of relief and ran the rest of the way to where Dumbledore stood as the last barrier before the castle.  
  
"Harry," he exclaimed. "Explain yourself!"  
  
"I stabbed Voldemort," Harry coughed the words between his heavy breathing.  
  
"Where?"  
  
"In the back,"  
  
"Where in the forest?" Dumbledore asked urgently. Harry pointed and Dumbledore motioned for two of the wizards standing near him to investigate.  
  
"The Death Eaters are leaving." Harry informed him. Dumbledore looked past Harry to Nearly Headless Nick who floated toward him.  
  
"The enemy is retreating. Voldemort was seriously injured. Three villagers are dead, the rest are only wounded."  
  
"Thank you for the report. It seems Mr. Potter delivered the last blow, but was still out against orders." His voice was severe and Harry shrank from the disappointment and anger Dumbledore directed toward him. "Please direct these men to those who are injured." Dumbledore asked Nearly Headless Nick indicating more villagers behind him.  
  
"I'm afraid that is not all Sir," Nick continued. "Genevieve was injured as well as," Sir Nicholas gulped, "Sirius Black."  
  
"Direct us to them as well," Dumbledore instructed. Harry tried to follow the men going to retrieve the injured but was held back by Dumbledore.  
  
"I dare say you've had enough of that forest."  
  
"But"  
  
"No, deliver yourself to the hospital wing immediately." Harry didn't dare cross his Headmaster now and walked into the castle. As the adrenalin rush subsided Harry realized that he was not only exhausted but had a cut by his wrist that was bleeding from when he had drawn his dagger. When he got to the hospital wing he collapsed from fatigue and loss of blood before Madame Pomfrey could offer him a bed, and she carried him the rest of the way.  
  
"Harry, oh dear boy. You are alright." Harry awoke to his name being called and his body being picked up.  
  
"Please put him down, he needs rest," Madame Pomfrey squeaked. Harry looked up into the eyes of his Godfather, who sat there rocking him.  
  
"Harry, I thought you were dead." He continued, relieved and overjoyed. Harry climbed out of Sirius' embrace to find his glasses. Sirius wore one of the standard robes Madame Pomfrey issued to her patients, but Harry was still in his robes from the night before. He looked at his hands, grateful they no longer glowed.  
  
"Dumbledore is on his way to see both of you," Madame Pomfrey eyed Sirius Black suspiciously. "You may want to clean yourself up before he does." Harry was too sore to move much so just got back under the covers and Sirius sat on his own bed.  
  
"What happened?" Sirius asked Harry, though it was Dumbledore who answered.  
  
"Mr. Potter, in his zeal to help, was captured by Voldemort, after which I received a ransom. Somehow Harry managed to stab him and get away." Dumbledore apparently still carried some of the disappointment from last night. But his face soon softened.  
  
"Harry, you can't keep risking your life like that. My old heart could not bare to lose you." Dumbledore smiled and Harry hung his head in apology. "Genevieve will take longer that either of you to heal, but the ghosts tell me she will be well within the week." Harry let out a sigh of relief, and soon fell back to sleep after Dumbledore and Sirius left to speak privately.  
  
A week later, Harry wandering the lawns between classes, spotted Genevieve lying on the now fully grown grass.  
  
"Genevieve," Harry hollered. She looked up alarmed at first, and then went back to watching clouds. "I'm so glad you are better now," Harry beamed.  
  
"And I you. I heard from the ghosts what happened. I'm proud of you." She sighed.  
  
"You have to leave now, don't you?" Harry guessed what she was thinking.  
  
"Probably." She answered. Through the grass soft foot falls went unnoticed.  
  
"Can I persuade you to stay?" Sirius Black asked, startling them both. Harry shielding his eyes against the sun, looked up to see Sirius in dress robes. Genevieve noticed his apparel also and transformed her clothes to match as she stood up. "May I have this dance?" He offered his arm with a bow.  
  
"Certainly good sir," she flipped a music disk into the air to accompany their dancing on the green. Harry watched as they moved further down the lawns. Then from behind him, he heard a joyful laugh. It was Morgain.  
  
"What are you laughing at," he smiled.  
  
"It looks like you may get a god-father and a god-mother" she teased pointing to the dancing pair. "And a fairy god-mother at that." The two of them laughed skipping and chasing each other back to the castle for class. 


	20. Stewardship

The week after finals, waiting for the test results, began as any other. Harry, Hermione and Ron lay on the lawn watching the clouds. Hermione reviewed her test answers while Ron set up a chessboard. Harry wondered how to reshape the clouds as Genevieve had and was so deeply concentrating on them he did not notice Hagrid approach until his large shadow enveloped them all.  
  
"What is it Hagrid?" Harry asked, concerned with the pale look on Hagrid's usually rosy face.  
  
"You three had better come with me." Hagrid turned and led them to the great hall. Lunch had been over for a while but the four tables were occupied by an assortment of grown witches and wizards chatting excitedly with each other. At the head table Dumbledore sat in the middle. On one side were Professors McGonagall and Snape, the chair on the other side held Sirius Black in human form.  
  
Hagrid showed the confused trio where to sit in three empty chairs by the center table, Harry in the middle.  
  
"What is going on?" Ron asked Harry.  
  
"I'm not sure, but I recognize some of these people from Genevieve's trial." He noticed that there were considerably fewer ministry members here than before, but still the faces looked familiar. Hermione was unusually quiet. Just then Dumbledore rose and the din slowly calmed down.  
  
"Distinguished colleges and guests, I am grateful for your attendance here this afternoon. As most of you know, Sirius Black has returned to our ranks and has graciously forgiven the ministry for its decision so many years ago." Dumbledore paused as a light ruffle of applause passed through the audience, though by the contempt on some of their faces Harry was sure they harbored ill feelings toward Sirius. Hermione turned toward Harry and appeared apologetic.  
  
"I'm sorry Harry," she whispered. "With the finals I forgot to tell you."  
  
"Tell me what?" But Hermione didn't have a chance to finish as Dumbledore had resumed.  
  
"Mr. Black has called this meeting to submit his petition for guardianship of his god-son Harry Potter." Harry's heart leapt to his throat. He looked at Sirius who was watching him intently and they exchanged smiles. "In order to make this decision, and to determine payment, we will now hear from those with priority claim, Mr. Potter's current guardian's Vernon and Petunia Dursley."  
  
Harry's face fell will shock. Dumbledore motioned to a green cloaked wizard who stood at the door behind the teachers table who then disappeared into the room. Moments later he emerged with a furious Uncle Vernon followed by a skittish Aunt Petunia and led to the front of the crowd. Murmurs flooded the room as Uncle Vernon brushed off the leading hand of their wizard guide.  
  
"I need no help from one of your kind," Vernon spat at the wizard, and then glared around the room. Dumbledore quieted the ministry wizards once more with a simple raise of his hand.  
  
"Vernon and Petunia Dursley. As I explained to you both in the letter left with Harry on your doorstep and last week this is your chance make an accounting of your stewardship. If at the end of these proceedings you are relieved of your duties toward him you will only receive a portion of that which was promised to you. We would also appreciate a statement of what you think is best for Mr. Potter's future."  
  
Harry was dumbstruck and angry, 'they were being paid?' he thought 'and they get to say what's best for my future?' Vernon just muttered under his breath as Petunia tried to calm him down by rubbing his back, and nervously addressing the room herself.  
  
"Well, when we took in young Harry it was at no small sacrifice on our part. I have a son of my own to care for and it more than doubled the amount of work I had to do, not to mention the expenses."  
  
It was clear Petunia had worked out what to say before hand and was struggling to say it word for word. "Harry was a difficult child, which we had to tame with a firm hand but it was always for his own good and because we cared for him so." Confusion left Harry, leaving only anger bubbling within him like hot lava in a volcano. Petunia continued carefully, though unable to look Harry in the eye. "We encountered many difficulties because of his." she paused searching for the right word but Harry was sure she was thinking 'abnormality', ".talent for what it is you do here. But I would venture to say we always 'loved' the boy and think it would be best for him to grow into adulthood under our roof."  
  
Harry erupted from his chair nearly knocking Ron off his in the process. Unable to contain his fury he pointed his finger at Petunia who tried to hide behind Vernon and shouted, "You are a liar." Hermione tried to pull Harry back into his chair while Vernon and Petunia inspected each other for what they assumed was a hex before they realized it was only an accusation.  
  
"You were too young to remember Harry." Petunia shot back in her normal dominating tone. "What a mess you would make, and there was no childproofing the house. You endangered Dudley's life regularly as a baby, pulling down gates and such with your 'magic'." She spat the last word directly into Harry's face.  
  
"Everything you ever told me was a lie. You told me my parents died in a car crash, you denied who and what I am, locking me in the cupboard for years." Harry's heart pounded now as the words he'd wanted to say since he was eleven poured from his mouth. At each revelation the ministry members gasped in dismay. "How can you stand here, lying, to say that you ever loved me?" Harry drew himself up to full height and glared right back at Petunia. It was then Vernon's turn for explosions.  
  
"Boy," he yelled. "You dare speak to the woman who raised you that way? You are a disrespectful brat who never appreciated anything we gave you." Vernon raised his hand across his chest to backhand slap Harry on the face. Harry flinched, being all too familiar with this sort of punishment, but Vernon's hand never flew. Sirius Black had bounded over the teacher's table and caught it in mid-air.  
  
Sirius retained his cinching grip on Vernon's hand, while Dumbledore stepped around the table to mediate this confrontation.  
  
"I believe you are your wife have conflicting opinions of Harry." Dumbledore spoke very calmly while Vernon's chest heaved and his eyes flicked to the wizard's around him who'd drawn their wands. "Can you tell me for what reason she desires Harry to return with you? I would strongly suggest that now is the time for truth.all of it. "  
  
Vernon considered his situation carefully, but only spoke after Petunia gave him a resigned nod. "The money," he finally confided. "Your letter promised that bonus if he stayed with us until his eighteenth birthday." Then, knowing he had little left to loose he added, "I would have dropped him off at the nearest orphanage if it hadn't been for the money. Make that the furthest one." Vernon now stood over Harry wearing his most intimidating expression. Petunia seemed crushed. The mood was excruciatingly tense as Harry stared back into his Uncle's eyes.  
  
Then a blood curling scream came from the door behind the teacher's table. Everyone swung around to see Dudley bolt out of the room tripping over the carpet. Petunia ran toward Dudley but when he saw the room filled with wand wielding wizards he scrambled under the teacher's table screaming. Vernon took the opportunity afforded him by such a diversion to break Sirius' grip and punch Harry in the stomach. Harry buckled over into Hermione's lap while Vernon pushed his way through the crowd to get Dudley.  
  
"The pictures talked to me," the crowd heard Dudley squeal once his father had pulled him out from under the table. "They moved and they talked, really I saw it!" The ministry members chuckled.  
  
"Don't be stupid, Dudley." Vernon responded, trying to hold back the rage he felt. Harry got up still rubbing his stomach and followed in the wake Vernon's form had left. 'If ever there was a time for me to stand up to him for good' Harry thought to himself, 'this is it' so he addressed his Uncle from the other side of the table.  
  
"Dudley is right. The pictures did talk to him." Harry tried not to smirk when he saw how purple Vernon's face became.  
  
"One walloping was never enough for you, boy." Vernon made a grab for him over the table but Harry stood back in time. Dumbledore then came between them.  
  
"Enough of this," he cried. "Let us sort this out in a civilized manor."  
  
"Civilized?" Vernon yelled at him. "You call this civilized? We have been dragged from our home and brought to this awful place; accused of being bad guardians and now you scared my son to death. You promised if we came we would not be harmed under any circumstances."  
  
"Harry, Mr. and Mrs. Dursley, please follow me." Dumbledore's blue eyes flashed before he walked through the door to the study. Harry followed him quickly while the Dursley's collected themselves. Sirius Black then slipped through the door, closing it behind him.  
  
"I am disappointed in all of you." Dumbledore began. Vernon just grunted but Harry implored,  
  
"Why are you disappointed in me professor?"  
  
"This was a time for restraint. Hadn't you been preparing for this?"  
  
"Preparing? I didn't know what was going on until you explained it up there." Dumbledore looked concerned for a moment until a small mousy voice spoke from the shadows.  
  
"I'm sorry Professor Dumbledore." Hermione had snuck into the room. "It's my fault; I forgot to give Harry the message because of finals. He really didn't know."  
  
"I see." Dumbledore's blue eyes addressed Vernon again. "Resorting to violence and lies is hardly becoming to a grown man." But Vernon hardly heard him because he was shutting out the whole situation and trying to shield his wife, but he did have something to say in the silence.  
  
"If that thing wants the boy," Vernon was pointing to Sirius Black, "you'll get no argument from me, if we will be paid the full promised amount." Dumbledore cocked his head in disbelief.  
  
"Can you deny that you mistreated him?" Vernon squinted at Harry who still held his stomach and shook his massive face, 'no'. "I have in my possession a copy of the letter I left with you that conditioned any payment you would receive on the results of his upbringing. You do still have your letter?"  
  
Petunia reached into her purse and pulled out a tattered envelope with emerald green writing on which Harry recognized the Hogwarts seal. Harry stepped forward, grabbed the letter out of her hand and unfolded it. Dumbledore continued talking to the Dursleys, but Harry didn't hear it as is eyes carefully read each word.  
  
Dear Mr. and Mrs. Vernon Dursley, I regret to inform you that a terrible tragedy has occurred in your family. You do know that Petunia's sister Lily was a witch, I believe, therefore I can reveal to you that Lily Evens and her husband James Potter have been murdered by a Dark Wizard. The only bright spot in this dreadful day is that their son Harry James Potter was unaffected by that curse except for the mark you will find above his eye.  
  
As you are Harry's only living relatives, I charge you now to care for him kindly. When time proves right for such an event you will be invited to discharge this responsibility in a public report. Understanding that this is a lot to ask of anyone a fund has been procured, the sum total of which amounts to 1 million pounds which will be paid to you in full once Harry has lived with you for seventeen years, or a portion thereof should he not.  
  
I give you my solemn word that you and Harry are completely safe now and that all will be done to maintain that for the future. We will also do our best to not interfere further in the lives of your family. Thank you.  
  
Albus Dumbledore  
  
Harry noticed there were several pieces of parchment behind the letter that included some simple potions and a newspaper clipping entitled 'Muggles raising wizards, understanding the signs' but did not have a chance to read it as Vernon's voice rose steadily higher, and he mopped his brow with his handkerchief. Dumbledore was doing his best to help him remain calm, but was getting slightly agitated himself.  
  
Just then the door opened and three people came in. Elden Eldritch was closely followed by Professor McGonagall speaking hurriedly to Genevieve who was not wearing her witch's robes. In fact, in her green tee- shirt, blue jeans and beat up, untied tennis shoes, even with her normal black bag slung across her shoulders, she looked more like a muggle than the Dursleys. When Petunia saw Genevieve she laughed, much to the surprise of everyone there.  
  
"Oh, so you like my clothes then?" Genevieve laughed along with Petunia. Harry noticed his Aunt was still wearing the locket Genevieve had given her.  
  
"You look downright slovenly." Vernon felt betrayed that his wife could be so flippant at a time like this. "Where are you going in that get-up?"  
  
"Colorado, do you think I'll fit in? I don't leave until tonight but I thought it would make you feel more comfortable." Genevieve took a turn, her long hair was pulled back into a french braid enclosed in stray hairs.  
  
"You're leaving?" Harry couldn't help but be concerned.  
  
"Just for a week or so, Harry." Genevieve left a snickering Petunia in the corner, crossing the room in three strides to talk to Harry. "It turns out my parole officer agrees that England is the best place for me to be right now, but I do need to settle things with my in-laws before I put down roots here. She doesn't like me very much."  
  
"Why not?" Harry wondered why anyone wouldn't like her.  
  
"Who's to say the real reasons why mothers-in-law often do not approve of the brides their son's choose. She didn't like the way I cooked, cleaned, decorated, turned her annoyingly yappy little dog into a lizard...who's to say." Harry just laughed, though her last comment sobered Petunia immediately. Professor McGonagall then made an announcement, holding open the door.  
  
"If everyone not involved in this would follow me." Hermione, Genevieve, and Sirius scuttled out the door. "You too Harry."  
  
"But this involves me." Harry protested. Sirius stood in the doorway holding out his hand,  
  
"Not anymore." Those words brought a great sense of relief to Harry while he walked out the door into the still fully occupied Great Hall. He paused only briefly while Elden began speaking to Vernon.  
  
"I understand there has been a little disagreement here..."  
  
*****  
  
Harry smirked again thinking of Genevieve turning that dog into a lizard while they sat down outside the door.  
  
"What time are you leaving?" Sirius asked Genevieve.  
  
"As soon as Mr. Eldritch is finished." Harry questioned her with a look which she quickly answered. "Neither he nor I are that good at apparating so we are catching the same portkey." Sirius snickered but Genevieve ignored it. "We met there in Colorado. Elden may not be much for magic, but he has a talent for dealing with people. I don't want to face my mother-in-law without him." Sirius had been unable to control himself and burst into full laughter, drawing the attention of the closer wizards in the room. "And what, may I ask is so funny?" Genevieve demanded.  
  
"Just thinking of your first attempts at apparating that's all." Sirius answered, feigning a straight face. He turned to Harry and Hermione to explain. "She tried a short hop across the room, but couldn't keep herself together or in the same form so she ended up with the torso of a monkey, the tail of a dog and nothing but dust in-between."  
  
"I remember your first try wasn't a complete success either." Genevieve revealed. "We were outside and he apparated into a tree, and I mean 'into' the tree. We wouldn't have known where he'd gone except a bit of his hair and his toes stuck out of the trunk and we kept hearing these muffled sounds, when we weren't laughing too hard." She placed her hand over her own mouth and mimicked the noise, "Hemmph Hmmeee." Sirius laughed even harder.  
  
"Yeah, and it took Old Man Potter nearly an hour to find the right spell to get me out. It wouldn't have taken so long if you guys would have stopped cracking jokes."  
  
"Cracking jokes, I just wanted to crack the tree.oh wait, you did that."  
  
"Ha ha." Sirius could take the jokes as much as he could dish them and Harry loved watching them banter back and forth.  
  
"I'm feeling a bit out of place now," Genevieve realized looking down at her clothes. She unbraided her hair quickly and flung her head upside down to shake it. When she came up she no longer wore her muggle clothes but an emerald green traveling cloak.  
  
"Ah, much more comfortable."  
  
A minute later the school house elves appeared among the crowd passing out drinks and sandwiches to who ever wanted them. Carsy approached Genevieve with a large silver serving tray, but she refused to eat or drink, though the others were glad for the food.  
  
"Aren't you hungry?" Ron asked walking up to her with four sandwiches stacked on one hand while he managed two glasses of pumpkin juice in the other.  
  
"Not for that." Genevieve pulled a bottle with orange liquid, the strengthening potion for bogarts, out of her bag and sipped it slowly. "So where were we?" She asked Sirius.  
  
"I was just about to tell Harry how we charmed all the cushions in the house to act like wet soap." Genevieve laughed as she pretended to reprimand her friend.  
  
"Keep that up and I'm not sure Harry should go home with you. You'll give him too many mischievous ideas."  
  
"Too late," laughed Hermione.  
  
Moments later the door behind them opened and the group stifled their laughter as Dumbledore followed by the Dursleys and Elden came out. To Harry's astonishment Vernon was shaking Elden's hand smiling.  
  
"If you ever want a job, you are welcome at Grunnings." Vernon offered Elden.  
  
"That is very kind of you to offer, but it is about time I got back to the States." Harry's jaw nearly hit the floor. Dumbledore walked to the teachers table and gave everyone a moment to find their seats and settle down before picking up almost right where he left off before the argument began.  
  
"Due to recent events I see no reason to deny Sirius Black his right and duty as god-father to young Mr. Potter, but the vote must still be taken. All in favor say aye." A large portion of the group repeated the word, while Harry nearly yelled it. "All opposed say nay." Some muttered nays bounced around the room, but nothing significant. "From now until he comes of age Harry Potter is to be cared for by Sirius Black." Dumbledore stated this with such finality that the meeting adjourned at his words and the witches and wizards left.  
  
Harry and Sirius let out a collective sigh of relief.  
  
"Well, that's it, kid. In a few days you're coming home with me." Sirius laughed putting his arm around Harry's shoulder.  
  
"Where exactly is home?" asked Harry. Sirius looked down, puzzled.  
  
"Good question. I think I have to go make some arrangements."  
  
"Always the paragon of foresight, aren't you?" Genevieve snickered sarcastically handing him a scratch piece of parchment. "Follow the map, there's a clearing just in that grove of trees there that is muggle protected where you could put a cottage. If you get lost, Mr. Weasley can show you the way, it's not far from them."  
  
"You're kidding." Ron grinned through a swig of pumpkin juice while peeking over Sirius' shoulders. "Yeah, I know right were that is, not more than a mile from my house!"  
  
"That is great!" Harry cheered.  
  
From behind a fat hand clapped on Harry's back and he stiffened, not needing to see it to know it was Vernon's.  
  
"Glad to be rid of you, boy." Vernon hissed in Harry's ear. "I trust you won't need to come by my house again." Petunia then leaned toward Harry to whisper in his other ear, her locket hitting his robes.  
  
"I hope you can find what we couldn't give you."  
  
The three Dursleys turned to leave but Harry extended his hand to Dudley.  
  
"No hard feelings?" Dudley first looked terrified, but after a moments consideration he took Harry's hand and shook it.  
  
"No hard feelings."  
  
The week couldn't pass fast enough for Harry. By the time he was on board the Hogwarts express he was bursting with joy to be finally going 'home'.  
  
The End..Or is it?  
  
  
  
Authors Note: Lauren is doubly cool by the way, because she just is. If you want to be cool also, you know what to do.  
  
Yes, Lauren there is a sequel and it's almost finished.  
  
I have a wonderful beta reader and family who are giving it one more read through before I unleash it on the world. It's darker, funnier, more complex. Everything they say about the second movie right. Well, writing this was a great learning experience and I've taken those lessons and applied them to the sequel. Fair warning: It's a doozie. 


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